A Hero's Shadow
by Narsha
Summary: You probably know my brother. You probably despise him like everyone does. You probably pity me to have such a brother. You probably didn't lift a finger to help us. But I'll tell you one thing : you will remember my brother's name as a hero. And mine will be forgotten. I am Uzumaki Kagerou, the demon child's twin sister
1. Brother

**Brother**

I have always known that he and I were different. People had always treated us differently. Well they didn't like us, for no reason. They would change their way not to cross us in the streets. They would ask their children to look away and not talk to us. They would ask their dogs to pursue us for fun. They wouldn't lift a finger seeing us in misery.

We were outcasts.

But then again, he and I were different. If was treated lower than dirt, like an infectious disease, they viewed me as a victim. I was the poor girl that had a brother like him. To some people, it was okay to look at me. To others, I had to share the burden my brother had.

He and I were different in how we handled the problems.

Naruto wanted to prove he was alive, that he existed. It didn't matter to him that they cursed him, beat him, or punish him. He proved to them he was alive. He was the guy that did pranks all the time to show them he was there. He was the clown that would make their teeth grit. He was an idiot that shone brightly. When they gave him the cold shoulder or insulted him, he would snap and hit them. Most of the time he would lose. But he never gave up.

I was different. Because I wanted to survive in this hostile world. It didn't matter if I was bullied or whatever. I could take it, for him I could take it. I loved him. If people pitied me, then I could use that to help him. Even if I wasn't doing good things all the time. When he had been kicked out of the orphanage, I hid him into my room until I was told by the other children. When we starved to death in the new apartment we were loaned by the Hokage, I stole food. I would do anything to keep his smile.

Naruto was my sun, and I was just a mere shadow, lurking in the dark to help him. It was unfair what they did to us, but I was the lucky one. It didn't felt right that they preferred me to him. I hadn't anything special. He was the one special.

Because he was so poorly treated, I was the one to ensure our survival. He was happy and alive, and I was looking out for the both of us. He could do whatever he wanted to exist. He could even defend my own honour. What mattered to me was his happiness, even if it look like an impossible task.

I wanted to protect his smile. No matter what it took.

Then we grew up and he became a hero. And I felt that he could indeed become our next Hokage. His dream became my dream. My only goal in life. And I was ready to fight against any hardships.


	2. A working girl

**A working girl**

Naruto had always been too busy trying to exist to study. It was a fact. It wasn't because he was stupid or that he had a short span of attention. He just played dumb on purpose. The first week of classes we studied hard to show the other kids in class. We were told we were orphans from the Uzumaki Clan. It felt important to be as good as the other clan kids. Whenever we had the answer, we rose our hands. And were never picked.

So Naruto gave up on our teacher. He wanted to exist, like a real person. If being a nice and smart Uzumaki clansman didn't work, then studies didn't matter. He'd rather skip all theoretical matters to play outside with other kids like him. Kiba, Shikamaru and Choji weren't exactly his friends, but they didn't reject him either. I thought that their common goal to avoid punishments made a sort of team out of them.

But I knew that Naruto wouldn't pass the exams this way. So I forced myself to follow and to understand all the classes he missed to teach him after. I read all sorts of books wondering what good it was to know all the boring details to be a good ninja. All of them aimed for being in a team and do awesome missions, even if they were most likely to end behind a desk to decipher encrypted messages.

Not only was this tiring, but I had to ensure they had enough to eat, to wear and to study. And the money we received instead of the orphanage to provide for our needs was never enough. I knew, I just did, that we were paying too much. The civilians wouldn't try to kill or threw us out of town on their own. So they tried to drive us away by any means necessary.

I quickly caught the trick. As soon as I was able to perform a Henge, I just had to change into another person and buy at normal price.

Naruto was smart enough to barely pass the tests thanks to my help, but it never occurred to him we could lack money. If necessary I was ready to beg for a few ryos more. That was our last resort. Most of the times I managed to get some jobs after class. Many shops needed little hands to do some little tasks. I sorted the garbage for vendors, I peeled vegetables for restaurants, I cleaned whole warehouses to make their inventory...

I was always exhausted. Naruto could stay awake all night and still be active the day after. When he went home with torn clothes, both hurt and happy he had been hit by some punks. I would stumble in the room with my pay of the day. I just had enough strength left to eat some of the food I did beforehand.

And be happy to hear Naruto's tales to lull me to sleep.


	3. The others

Naruto had always had that aura around him. Even if he was bullied and mistreated, he always keep smiling. He was forgiving and played dumb. Everyone laughed when he made a joke. He was a happy boy. I was not. I was used to be considered as an outcast. I felt sad, but I knew I still had him by my side. It was enough for me to stand against my own enemies. I just have to ignore them, and eventually they would leave me alone.

That was all I wanted : being left alone. Even if it meant solitude, it meant having no troubles. Because I didn't want to stand out like Naruto did. I was a ghost. I was the one who made us survive from the background. People used us to get rid of their anger, we were just rag dolls. I didn't trust them.

I tried to rely on them. After all, teamwork was needed to be a ninja. But my classmates would always be reluctant to work with me. Especially because I often found myself in the same group Naruto was. In the end there was only him an I. And no one else.

Well I had a friend when I was little. My Onii-Chan. He was older than I was and taught me many things about myself and how to survive in the ninja world. He was a really great ninja. And he left me all alone. I heard he committed suicide. He never told me he was going. He never told me he had troubles. I would have helped him the best I could.

I was a conflicted person, wasn't I ? I couldn't stay near other people, because they tended to hurt me, insult my brother or pity me to share the same blood. But as soon as I trusted them, I would go through hell for the persons I loved. I would do that for Naruto and I would have done that for Onii-Chan.

Well, my relationships went better over the years, as they started to see I was different from my brother. To them I was a quiet girl, with high grades, that did part-time job outside the school. But I still was Naruto's sister who didn't complain when Ami and her friends badmouthed her, stole her things or torn her notebook apart.

That was until the day Uchiha Sasuke returned to class. I knew, like everyone else, that there had been an accident. A murderer had wiped out his entire clan. By that time Onii-Chan was already dead. That day Sasuke confronted me about the letter, about the legacy, about the money. The same day he insulted me and said I didn't deserve Shisui's last gifts to me.

I refused. Because Shisui had been the first to see Uzumaki Kagerou in this body and not the monster's sister.

The day the others started to respect me was the day I slapped Uchiha Sasuke in public.


	4. Summer job

_Hello again ! ^^ It's been what... two days since my latest update ?_

_Why so fast when I update my other stories once a month ? It's because of the form of this fiction. I'm used to make long chapters about 10,000 words each. This story is made of chapters that are 500 words long (I can go up to 1,000 if I'm inspired). It's because each chapter treats one idea at a time, whereas in my other fictions I have several ideas inside each chapter._

_This makes A Hero's Shadow way easier to write. That's why I'm trying to update it as fast as possible. It's a bit of a challenge. Making short stories about little subjects about Kagerou's life._

_For now I plan to be canon until the search of Tsunade. I'll need a few changes in the original story after that because Kagerou must be old enough to do what I planned for her (What I planned for her kinda was my original idea for the story. It was supposed to be a long oneshot. But I thought I needed to write about her childhood, and it became something else. I changed the original title that was supposed to be The Girl in flames, and the story changed accordingly._

_Thanks for those who took the time to read this little text._

_**Kana-Chan01** : C'est super qu'une de mes lectrices en français essaye ma nouvelle création en anglais ^^_

_**Guest** : Thanks for reading ^^_

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><p><strong>Summer job<strong>

The first time I met him, I was five. I had just started the Academy in April, and learnt how to do a Henge after seeing a few upperclassmen practising and had been able to fool a few civilians. They believed I was ten and weren't against me working for them. They also believed I was a weak and kinda dumb kid as I was still a first year under the illusion. Summer break meant some work in the fields, and I thought I could help them with easy tasks against a few banknotes.

I had been too hopeful, as always. The work was way more harsher than I expected as I had to carry buckets of water from the near river to water the plants. It was so heavy I didn't do half as much as the other kids they were paying to do the same. And I was obviously the youngest, even under my Henge.

And there this curly haired young man took my bucket away from me without effort and carried it with his own.

"Hey !"I protested.

"I wouldn't be a good person if I let you carry this at such a young age."

"But..."

"Don't worry, I'll give you a share."

I immediately refused. People were always lying to me when they were nice. Then I remembered I was under an illusion and that he couldn't possibly know who I was.

"I am strong enough to carry it." I said with my more mature voice. "Give it back."

"Certainly not."

And he started walking. Even carrying two full buckets of water, he was still faster than the five-year-old I was. That was so unfair ! We went back and forth a few times, and I finally get to carry half-emptied buckets. When the day was finished, the owner of the field told me he will not pay me because I had done close to nothing.

I was despaired. This money was supposed to buy me and my brother a set of shuriken to practise. I would have worked the other days to have some kunai too. What should I do now ? I tried not to cry because I couldn't give up. Then the boy who was with me took my hand and walked me to Konoha that was about two or three miles away.

"Let go of me !" I shouted.

"Why is a strong girl like you crying ?" he asked.

"Because now I have to find another job and win more money because of you !"

"No you don't. Here's your share." he said handing me the money. "But you shouldn't have to work at your age. I saw you before at the Academy : my cousin's in your class."

"You know who I am ?" I asked wiping my tears.

"You're Uzumaki Kagerou, aren't you ?"

He wasn't rejecting me ! For the first time I knew that some people weren't jerks.

"Who are you ?"

"I am Uchiha Shisui."


	5. The follower

**The follower**

It took me a long time to admit that the teenager never had any bad intention towards me. He "mysteriously" appeared at each job I had found this summer. He was always there to help me, and could see through my disguises every time. That was so frustrating ! But he was useful to me, because most works were way harder than they seemed.

I never understood why he was so nice to me. Even if people pitied me for who my brother was, they never went as far as that boy did. It confused me.

"How can you tell it's me ?" I asked him one day.

"It's a ninja trick. I know you're using a lot of chakra." he answered.

"But how do you know where I will be ? Konoha is very big."

"Let's say you're not very discreet when you're looking for a job."

It made me think a lot about my abilities. I also wondered why he was answering me so easily. The only answer I had was that he was fond of me. And in my world that was impossible. Naruto would always be the one that shone brighter, even if it wasn't for the good reasons. People often forgot I was there too. I was invisible. They didn't notice me.

So why did Shisui ?

I quickly found a challenge in this situation. I didn't want him to intervene in my life. I wasn't important. He didn't have to do so. I concluded that it was just a ninja mission. The Hokage cared a little about us : he did lend us a place to live. Maybe was Shisui-san caring about me because he was ordered to.

I could protect Naruto on my own, I could protect us on my own. The Hokage probably had more important things to care about. Shisui-san was probably a great ninja. I had seen how good his cousin Sasuke was. Why would he follow me for if he wasn't compelled to ?

I told my brother about me being tailed by a ninja, but Shisui-san he never appeared whenever we were together. But as soon as I was alone, he was there. I thought he would stop when I went to the Academy again. I was wrong.

"I don't need your protection, go away." I told him one day.

"I can't leave someone in need."

"I don't need your pity. I can manage alone."

Shisui had a knowing on his lips. His hand patted my head and I blushed a bit.

"I know someone who's exactly like you : smart, caring for his family, and utterly alone. He took so many responsibilities for the ones he loves, it crushes him. I don't want you to end like that. Both Kagerou-Chan and him should enjoy their childhood when they still have it. Being a ninja makes you grow too fast." he said with a somewhat sad voice.

When did I start missing being followed by Uchiha Shisui ?


	6. Onii-Chan

**Onii-Chan**

School days went on, and I was forced to go to class again. As usual Naruto skipped all theoretical classes along with the same other boys. It was the same as before : I studied for two, I cooked for two, I earned money for two. And Naruto smiled for two, was happy for two and made us a reputation. Life was exactly how it should have been.

Except for one little thing : my brother and I were not as close as before. I had started to enjoy being Shisui-san's friend. Because that's what I was : his friend. Naruto did spent his time with other pranksters, and I admit I was happy to be with the teenager.

Except for the time I had wanted to drive him away, he had never spoke about the lonely boy who was supposed to be the same as me. Neither did I ask about him. It was the faint link that had bonded the two of us. I knew he felt guilty about his other friend, but I wouldn't satisfy my curiosity. Shisui-san was too precious to me. He was my one and only friend after all. Being with him made him happy.

Like the times when Naruto needed some comfort, I guessed when Shisui needed some too. If he had been the one to save me from loneliness, I would be the one to save him from despair. He came to me because I was in need like his friend. But he needed help too.

Being around Shisui made me feel useful. I existed. I was Uzumaki Kagerou, his little friend.

One day I called him Onii-Chan. It had been on purpose. I had Naruto, but this relationship was different. I would have been honoured to share the same blood he did. When I did that, he hugged me tight.

"Does this mean so much to you that I call you 'Onii-Chan' ?" I asked him.

"Yes. Yes it does." he said.

I wondered if it was about the boy I was replacing in his heart. I sighed. Even if I seemed important to him, I still was someone else's shadow.

"It makes me very happy." he told me.

"Then I am happy too."

"You always are so calm, Kagerou. You never show much emotions. Except when you thought I was stealing your job. And your eyes tell me you're concerned."

"I thought ninjas shouldn't show emotions."

"We are humans before being ninjas. And we have the right to feel. It's nice of you to make me happy, but you have to think of you too. Are you not happy to call me 'Onii-Chan' ?"

"Of course I am !" I shouted.

"There you look like the little girl I like !"

"I just... Am I...?"

"What's the matter ?"

"I know you like me because you feel guilty about the other boy."

His eyes went so sweet and warm when he told me he liked me for being Uzumaki Kagerou.


	7. His other special someone

_! WARNING !_

_This is the fourth update I made this morning. Please go back to chapter 4 ^^_

_! WARNING !_

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><p><strong>His other special someone<strong>

I was very touched to be Onii-Chan's special person. To him I was Kagerou-Chan. It was true that he approached me because he felt guilty about the other boy. But he helped me because he wanted to. He stayed because he like me. And I liked him too.

And I wanted to relieve him of his sadness as he lightened my loneliness.

I thought of befriending Uchiha Sasuke to find some answers. I was sure Shisui-Nii's other friend was an Uchiha. The only problem was that the boy was one of the Uchiha leader's sons, and therefore was extremely popular. I already had troubles getting along with my classmates, I thought it could be difficult to bond with the boy. Especially when I would have many enemies doing so.

So I decided to spy on Shisui. I had noticed in class that if I had troubles controlling my chakra and dissimulating it, finding someone giving his chakra signature was an easy task. Sensei told me this was an uncommon gift and that I should train in this field. And so did I, trailing my Onii-Chan whenever he was in the village.

The few first months he was always aware that I was following him. I spent about half a year to hone my skills high enough to be able to follow him from afar without him noticing. I had to keep at least fifty meters behind him to stay hidden. It was a hard task.

But I finally succeeded.

It was by chance, but I managed anyway. I was in the apartment cooking. Then I felt Shisui's presence in a hundred meters radius. I looked through the window and stared the street. I finally saw him with a younger teen, eating dango in the street. It required me a lot of concentration to filter all the chakra signatures and extract the one of his comrade. It was really faint, as if he was trying to hide in plain sight.

I don't know how long I observed them from afar. Not long I guess because they were still enjoying their tea when my head started spinning. I ignored the symptoms of chakra exhaustion. By that time I ignored such a thing existed. My brother and I had large reserves, and the exercises we did at school were too easy to tire us.

I felt hot and burning. I still couldn't hold the stranger's chakra's signature. I just could tell he was a long-haired Uchiha. I wasn't sure he was the boy Onii-Chan was so worried about, but it was my best lead.

My body was trembling. I tried harder to isolate him from the crowd around them. It worked ! Suddenly the boy's head turned in my direction and I swear he saw me. I jerked away from the window and noticed how weak my body was. The world was spinning, and my nose was bleeding.

But I had done it ! And I would help both him and Onii-Chan.


	8. Theory and Calculus

_Hello again !  
><em>

_Yes the updates are really fast these days ^^ Don't think this is my normal pace, seriously..._

_Anyway, thanks to everyone who favorited who followed this story, it means a lot to me. Not only does it motivates me to write more, but it means that my grammar isn't that bad !_

_**Kana-chan01** : Oui Kagerou est une fille. Et google traduction c'est trop pourri (bon j'avoue je suis passée par là les premières fois que j'ai lu directement en anglais)_

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><p><strong>Theory and calculus<strong>

"You're pretty smart, Kagerou-Chan" Shisui-Nii said one day.

I thanked him. Onii-Chan was so nice. He always had nice things to say to me. Today I showed him my results on last test. I scored 100.

"It's not that hard, I'm just good at remembering things" I said.

"Are you ?" he teased me.

"I study a lot, that's all."

"Even if it looks easy, that's very good."

We were walking in the streets. At first when our friendship began, I was always using a Henge. People would have badmouthed my Onii-Chan and he would go away. But he preferred when I was myself and didn't care about rumours. I finally gave my disguise up. So was I just Uzumaki Kagerou today.

"I was wondering, how did you learn the Henge no Jutsu ? You shouldn't learn this before you have enough control on your chakra, should you."

"I saw some upperclassmen training. I had learned all the signs for Ninjutsu in a book beforehand. I didn't succeed at first, but I read a book about the theory behind the basic jutsu."

"That's not enough. I admit that you still needed a few adjustments in your energy flows, but that should have been too hard for you."

"I read a book about basic chakra exercises. It was made for the parents who wanted their toddlers to train. I already knew all these tricks when we started chakra manipulation in class. Then I read another book about what we were asked in the Academy and I studied. Sensei told us we should train in daily life so that we would have no problem doing Ninjutsu in real situations"

"Are you learning all the theory behind practice beforehand ?"

"Yes I think it's easier to understand. So when you told me you sensed me because I was using too much chakra at once, I studied harder at home and here I am !"

I showed him some of the books I was currently reading. His face blanched and he asked me if I understood everything that was inside. There was a lot of calculation behind Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. People usually used their instinct to get the good ratio of physical and spiritual energy to make enough chakra, which, with the good sign combination, would lead to a basic jutsu. I wasn't ready to change chakra into an elemental yet, though.

"You know, I can't understand a word to all this gibberish." Onii-Chan told me. "Are you really learning everything from these books ?"

"Why would I lie to you ? "I pouted. "It's been hard enough to understand how to mould exactly one chakra unit to get things right."

"How so ?"

"The results you get depends of how fluid is the chakra you make. You have to mould just enough to get small grains at a time. If you do it too fast or make too much it will get too thick to make a proper jutsu."

It was a matter of simple logic. Indeed Chakra was more like a fluid than something solid. But it was just like water you could get into molecules. When it was frozen, all the little particles were neatly ordered in the ice. When it was liquid they still had a form of unity but were more disorganized. And when it was gaseous, little molecules were going everywhere they wanted inside a defined container.

Doing basic Ninjutsu meant you had to know where you chakra flow should be, how thick it should be, in what area they should be active, and what the little "grains" you had made were supposed to do. For instance, the Henge applied to your outer body. It made your brain and the brain of the others that your real body was the one you imagined. You had to maintain a certain chakra flow around the image you were giving to maintain it. If your body was bigger or smaller than the one you had before, you still had the same abilities. It was really hard to make your own mind believing you were a feet taller and that you could reach higher places when it was impossible in reality.

Ninja generally didn't bother about the exact calculus. They used their instinct or experience. The Ninjutsu or Genjutsu would still work if you were using a bit less or more chakra than necessary. On the other hand it would be less powerful and less effective. And you would be wasting energy for nothing. I knew that I took slightly more time that the others to make my Jutsu, but mine would be better in theory because I took the time to wonder about the right amount and the behaviour of chakra for it.

I told everything of it to Shisui-Nii who made a weird face.

"You seem to be good at maths, Kagerou-Chan. Did you learn it from the books as well ?"

"Yes, I did, but it's easier to understand because it's simple. I can calculate anything as long as I know or can calculate all the conditions. The more I have to anticipate data, the longer I'll need."

"How about weapons trajectories ? Have you thrown some shuriken yet ?"

"It's about the same. I know how the way I handle my weapons will affect my throw, so I just have to take the wind, the distance and my own strength into account."

Onii-Chan was still sceptical about my abilities, so he came with me to a training ground where he lent me some projectiles. He showed me a few targets. Except for those which needed to much strength to reach it, I hit bull's-eye every single time. He went as far as blindfolding me and only telling me the distance what I should aim for.

"Kagerou-Chan, has anyone told you you're a genius ?"

"I... I am ?"

I almost didn't hear him say I was closer to the other boy than he thought was possible.


	9. Training

**Training**

Shisui-Nii told me I was a genius. I never thought I was. It felt normal to want to understand what was behind the notions I was taught. Except for more subjects like history or Japanese where I had to learn many things by heart, I could use calculus in everything. By it I meant anticipating where my opponent will move, what move he would do, which trajectory he would follow, if it was worth being hit to hurt him after... Everything should be cost effective.

I wasn't afraid being hurt. I too had my share of beating when it came to gang on the demon child and his sister. I knew I healed better than other people, and I hoped it was possible to enhance that ability.

I was willing to learn how to stand for myself. I didn't about people picking on me or badmouthing me : what mattered was Naruto's smile. And me living my life without troubles.

I understood too late that not answering violence and ignoring insults did not work well against bullies. And I would have to fight anyway as a kunoïchi. Therefore I had to get better in Taijutsu.

The thing was I had no strength. I would train late with Naruto but he was careful not to hurt me, and my fists weren't doing any damages. I could read about fighting stances all I wanted : my body refused to do what I wanted. I could plan my fights, but I was unable to carry on with what I had thought. I was too slow, too weak, to stiff...

And I already knew I would pay the price of not eating enough food and not getting enough sleep in my childhood. But I couldn't do otherwise. I didn't get how Naruto could stay so healthy eating only ramen.

When I talked about that to Shisui, he asked me if I wanted him to train me like all the Uchiha children were. I accepted. During the two years we had been together, he taught me the basics. We would do the same exercises every time : running laps, working abs, punching and kicking... When I managed to do the number of moves he had asked me, he would ask more the day after.

Thanks to him I understood how the katas I saw in the books and I did them again, and again.

I was about average in most physical areas and was getting better when he disappeared. I never stopped training. In the end I could stand against bullies, but I would often tied or lose against stronger classmates. Because winning fair and square using the Academy style wasn't my way of doing things. I could be better if I was allowed to use all my abilities.

Over the years I saw how my forte wasn't close combat at all. It didn't matter if I was lacking speed or strength now. Being a seal master made me much more dangerous than I looked.


	10. Where we live

**Where we live**

I don't really recall the orphanage. My memories of this place are confused. I mostly remember the hostility of the matron and the other children towards us, how my room was arranged, how hard the mattress was.

Naruto and I have been living in the apartment since we've been kicked out. I never thought it was a good idea to put us together in here with no idea how to live in a house. For a long time we've lived in filth, eating instant food and wearing the same rags as clothes. I quickly thought the situation unacceptable. So I learnt.

We were five and the Academy had just started. It had been the most exhausting first months I ever had. We were mocked, we were bullied, we were ostracized... But we could cope. I had Naruto, and he had me. When the times went too hard I just ran towards him and sobbed against his shoulder. I would offer him comfort when he would feel lonely as well.

Having a house when you are two kids is hard and wonderful at the same time. The rooms seemed big and filled with furniture. And it was ours. We could do whatever we wanted. Except that we had no money for toys or anything else. But it didn't matter. We had our own games.

I can't recall how many hours we spent playing on our own to forget the wariness of civilians outside. As we grew up, we started to study there, always together, knowing we only had the other for family. I was teaching Naruto what he didn't know.

He and I would play ninja and fight to the death on the patio. I would be the damsel in distress he had to save. Or we would be teammates fighting alongside an invisible enemy. Together. Forever.

At nights, when I went home exhausted by my harsh day, he would carry me into our bed. There was only one bed in our home. Maybe it was a place rented to a couple before we went in. Only one big bed where we would cuddle in our sleep.

Naruto often had nightmares at night. He wouldn't wake up nor recall them the day after, but I felt him fighting his mind against me. And I would hold him tight until he stopped shaking. Sometimes he was glowing red. I didn't know what it was, but I was sure that it was chakra. A strong evil mass of energy that would go out of his body. I thought it was dangerous, because it itched me and burned me. But I saw it heal my brother, so it couldn't be that bad. Maybe was it some sort of Uzumaki power he had been granted with. These nights his dreams were more violent. Even if it hurt, I would tighten my grip and not let go.

The red energy doesn't hurt me as much as before now. I must have gotten used to it.


	11. Gifts

**Gifts**

I had never noticed how much Shisui-Nii was fond of me, until he started offering me many things. It started with the money. I wanted to say no. On the other hand Naruto and I needed it. Onii-Chan would take some of his salary and give it to me directly, or buy nutritious food with it, or give us new clothes. He didn't make any differences between my brother and I by that time.

"My clan has money, I can give some to people in need." he would say each time I refused.

"We're not in misery !" I protested.

"Kagerou-Chan, you're only 6. You shouldn't be doing part-time jobs after school."

Then Shisui-Nii celebrated our birthday with us. He had been the only one to think of it. Even if he didn't really like my brother, I could feel it, he didn't hate him. He was just very fond of me. And that made us lucky because he had bought us yukata for the autumn festival. He stayed with us, glaring at the civilians that badmouthed us, protecting us from the cruelty of the crowd. He bought me a love-apple and candy floss too.

Then Shisui-Nii gave me scrolls from the restricted area of the library I couldn't access, for I was not a Genin yet. He would watch me read it with a nice look on his face.

"You're very smart" he would say.

"No, I'm not" I would answer.

"Yes you are ! You wouldn't be my favourite little girl of the world otherwise."

Then Shisui-Nii would buy me clips and ribbons for my copper-coloured hair. He loved braiding them or making two pigtails behind my head. I like the feeling of the comb when he was the one behind me to undo the knots. It was hard to do it all alone and Naruto was too brutal.

"You're very cute" he would say.

"No, I'm not" I would answer.

"Yes you are ! You wouldn't be my favourite little girl of the world otherwise."

"Stop saying that !" I would blush hard.

Then Shisui brought back a kitten in the apartment. I couldn't keep it. It was too much work. But it looked so fragile in his hands I was unable to keep the cat away. I called it Tama. I loved it very much. When I learnt it was a stray cat which mother died because of some punks, I felt angry and sad.

I wanted to cry. I couldn't.

"It is right to shed tears for the people you love. Cry only for the people who are worth it.. It makes you the kindest and the most beautiful little girl I ever known." He said.

I think this sentence is the best gift he made me.

This is why I put flowers on a tomb with his name but no body to mourn, and cry before the stone of heroes killed in action where is name isn't carved.

Because he was worth the tears.


	12. Seal classes

! WARNING !

This is the fith update today, go back to chapter 8

! WARNING !

* * *

><p><strong>Seal classes<strong>

Thanks to Onii-Chan's generosity I had enough spare time to study all I wanted. The teachers decided that until the exams, where I would be allowed to attend as many theoretical tests I wanted, I should take other classes. I chose seal classes because my readings made me thought it was something that needed precise calculus.

And everybody knew I loved it.

I was wrong. We weren't taught how to draw seals. We would listen our teacher explaining how seals were the only way to make Jutsu before the Sage of the Six Paths invented it. It was like the theory behind the Jutsu. If someone could make an explosion with hand signs, he could do better things with seal.

A seal could control everything a man couldn't. It was a precise tool. You just needed to draw what you wanted it to do.

Unfortunately even the teacher didn't know which design in the seals affected which aspect of its performance. He would just give us examples of existing seals and ask us to copy it perfectly. The wrong seals were discarded. The right ones were kept for the reserves. It felt so wrong.

All I was learning there wasn't what I was looking for. I knew that a seal needed to be activated with chakra to work. But there were other seals entirely made of chakra. Did it meant the seal was somehow detached from a scroll and put elsewhere ? And what about the ink we used for drawing ? How does its components affected the efficiency of the spell ?

Many of my questions stayed unanswered. But I had plenty of time now that I wasn't forced to work after school. And I still wasn't supervised enough because of the others rejecting me. It gave me lots and lots of time to experiment. I started with the explosive tags, comparing the old ones and the new ones, distinguishing every pattern, making my own tests.

That was a long work, and there was a lot to take into account. I started to see each seal like a restrictive system. The main design indicated what it was doing. The precise drawings were the restrictions. I still had a long way ahead of me, but I was sure I could do it.

It took me an entire year to know how to make my own explosive tags and traps. I could make it burst after a certain time. It could activate itself only when the right person approached it. I could control the scale of the explosion and the gravity of the burns you would get. But I needed the right time and place to make my seal. The support didn't matter, I could paint it with ink or carve it in wood. It would work anyway thanks to the design and the exact amount of chakra.

I hoped one day I will be able to draw any seal I wanted only with my chakra, as it was the ultimate tool.


	13. Haruno Sakura

_Hello, I will only update two chapters today because the ones that are comming after are pretty hard to write._

_Anyway, thanks again for your support and I'll see you in the end of next chapter for a little question time._

* * *

><p><strong>Haruno Sakura<strong>

I knew Sakura and I were alike. When she went in kindergarten and during our first year in the Academy she was also bullied. The other girls were saying she had a large forehead and mocked her pink hair. The only difference was she found a protector in Ino. I, on the other hand, was alone in front of lots of hostile people.

Sakura defending herself ganged her enemies on me. I was an easier target. I don't blame her for gaining confidence. But in a logic viewpoint, I would have preferred not being forced to avoid most of the places at school.

I didn't have a clear opinion of Sakura. My brother had been interested in her since the first time he had met her. Mostly because she considered us as human beings. I knew the seduction techniques weren't quite effective. But no one should punch someone who gave us affection. More important, Sakura was one of Uchiha Sasuke's fangirls. I understood that she liked him (even if it was weird to have so deep feelings for someone you'd just met), but I couldn't stand her acting.

Actually, I liked her personality. Not the mushy feeling she gave around the brunette, but when she was thinking about homework. I would often see her in the library, studying a subject or another. She was like me : she was knowledgeable and liked to learn. Too bad she couldn't keep up with me and took other theoretical subjects, it was kinda scary when I wasn't with someone I would know.

Sakura started noticing me when she saw she wasn't the top of class in the subjects she excelled in. She may have high grades, but mine were nearly perfect. And she didn't like to lose.

Things started to change when she started seating next to me in class. She wanted to know how I could be a few step ahead of her. That said, she started greeting me on mornings and chatting with me during the pauses. I wasn't exactly trusting her, or thinking of her as a friend. We were mostly exchanging knowledge. She taught me about life in society and how to react in front of others. She told me I seemed really cold when I wasn't with my brother. And I would share my passion for calculations.

Our relationship changed a lot over the years. At first it was because she wanted to stay in the same promotion, whereas I wanted to graduate as soon as possible. Then rumour had it that Uchiha Sasuke was interested in me and Sakura grew wary of me and remained the same until his betrayal.

Then she trained to be a doctor under Tsunade-Sama and I became a seal master. I was inventing seals useful in every way of life, and she helped me design those linked to the medical field. I can't exactly date when she befriended me, but she was the one who made a Rookie 13 out of me.


	14. Different friends

! WARNING !

This is a double update, please go back to chapter 13

! WARNING !

* * *

><p><strong>Different friends<strong>

It was night. I was lying awake on the bed and my head rested on Naruto's chest.

"Hey, Naru-Chan ! Are you awake ?" I whispered.

My brother groaned that he was. I felt him move under me as he stretched. He yawned.

"What's up, Kage-Chan ?" he asked.

I felt the knot on my stomach.

"I feel... It's like you and I are falling apart. We don't speak or see each other as much as before. It... It worries me." I said.

Naruto sighed. Right now he wasn't the idiot that amused his classmates to exist.

"I know you don't like me skipping classes and all. But when I'm with them, I feel alive."

He was talking about his group of pranksters. I didn't like the idea of him failing his tests and not being able to become a ninja. It was his dream.

"And I know you're with Shisui-Nii whenever he is around. You're happy with him. You're happy when you can talk about stuff I don't get with him."

"I'm happy with you too. That's a different kind of happiness, that's all."

"But you don't have to play a role when you're with them. I'm under the impression I'm always wearing that goofy mask. I like doing pranks for fun. I like playing idiot. But I'm not an idiot. I don't want Sakura-Chan to see me like that."

"She's pretty smart. I like having her around." I admitted.

"See ! You don't have to fake, people like you because you're smart and you're cute... I'm totally fake..."

I felt the crack in his voice. I had no reason to complain about us growing apart. I was the one that was getting accepted in the society. Because I was just the monster's sister. Maybe they thought it was acceptable to stay with me. The glares didn't stop, neither did the insults. But people were still softer with me than they were with my brother.

I shifted my position so that he could lean against me. My hand stroke his hair gently, repeatedly. I was humming a lullaby I had heard a long time ago, probably while infancy. Naruto progressively relaxed.

"I don't mind you having other friends, Kage-Chan. I like seeing you happy."

"But I don't want you to be sad when I'm happy."

"You can't forget your happiness, even for my sake. You care too much about others. I see how deep you want your Onii-Chan to be happy. Remember when you collapsed just to know who his precious person was? I don't want you to get hurt."

I was almost sobbing by the time he finished to talk. But he was wrong, I cared about him much more than I cared about the others. Naruto was my most precious person, even if Shisui-Nii was also deep in my heart, even if I like speaking of scientific subjects with Haruno Sakura.

My brother would always come first. He could ask anything from me. I would do it.

* * *

><p><em>I have a little question. I know who Kagerou is supposed to fell in love with, but I wanted her to have had some romantic relationships beforehand. In the chapters you are reading she is still between 6 or 8 years old, so I don't need to put the love right now. I need you to answer now because I will implement new relationships in the next chapters. <em>

_Which kind of boy would be suited for Kagerou in your opinion ? (she will pretty much stay the same person all her life)_

_Do you think she should date older boys ?_

_And please don't give me any 'bad guy' because Kagerou is deeply attached to Konoha because her brother wants to be the Hokage (and because she will share his beliefs about peace). So someone from the village would be better._

_I plan to make a scientist out of her. Did you see the technology gap in the end of the manga ? I want her to be part of it thanks to her mastery of seals._

_If I had to put an equivalent, Kagerou is a lot like Kabuto : they both do reseach but they can kick asses._

_So, any lover for my baby ?  
><em>


	15. Teamwork

_Hi everybody ! Yes, there is only an update today ;)_

_Special thanks to those who answered last chapter's poll. You can still answer it. It was about who Kagerou could date when she would be older. Of course I already know who will be the love of her life, but I intend her to fall in love before it happens._

_Kakashi : 1 vote_

_He could be a logical choice, but I intend her to date while young, It wouldn't be correct to do so with a grown man_

_Itachi : 2 votes_

_I know Itachi is not a villain, and that Kagerou might feel close to him because of her friendship with Shisui. Unfortunetely this story is somewhat cannon in its beginning. So I can't let them date._

_Shikamaru : 2 votes_

_It's about the same with the two before : it's not because Kagerou is a genius she will be more attracted to people with brains. I mean they could gain her trust easily but what about her feelings. I'm not too sure about how he and her could be together. Shikamaru doesn't seem really into romance._

_Sai : 1 vote_

_That's a funny idea. But I don't thing putting two socially awkward people is a good thing. Plus Sai is a Root member, and it would be hard to put tem together. I don't picture them having a 'normal' relationship. But oddly I think it can work. I'll keep the couple somewhere in my mind._

_Lee : 1 vote_

_Actually I've thought of it. But it won't be a romantic relationship. I think Kagerou will be impressed of his will to attein his dreams and develop a certain attraction towards him. But Lee is at Sakura's feet. Maybe unrequited feelings ?_

* * *

><p><strong>Teamwork<strong>

"Ok class, now that you've found your designated teammates, remember to stay close. You have two hours to capture an animal." The teacher said.

I mentally sighed about the idea of working with two randomized chosen people. It had to be Ami, the leader of bullies of our class. Fortunately (or not) we ended up with Uchiha Sasuke, so she was more focused on pleasing him than picking on me.

"The animals are probably hidden deeper in the forest", Sasuke said. "Let's go there."

"Sasuke-kun, you're so smart !" Ami peeped.

"I don't think it will be this simple." I disagreed. "Everyone will think the same. We will be so loud they will flee. We can do better."

Both of them looked at me with surprise. I hadn't said a word since we've been together. I might have never spoken to Sasuke-San. And I rarely uttered a word to that girl.

"You're right... err... Kagome-San, was it ?" Sasuke admitted.

"Actually it's Kagerou" I said but Ami walked on an old branch and its creak covered my voice.

"What ?" Sasuke asked.

"I have an idea ! We could go even further than the others and catch the animals they frighten !" Ami exclaimed.

This was the idea I wanted to tell. She was so excited she had thought it she started making plans out loud. I couldn't even say a word. The way was so narrow I had to stay behind them while they were walking. The chakra of my classmates gradually went away as the vegetation got denser.

"I think we're far enough" I shyly pointed out to the duo.

"Shut it, you freak, you know nothing ! Sasuke-Kun and I already thought of the trap we are going to make." Ami shouted.

I didn't answer and gritted my teeth. Sasuke-San didn't react to me being insulted. He was too busy pretending we didn't exist. He probably thought I too was one of his fangirls, and that Ami's insults were justified. That boy knew nothing.

"All right, what kind of animal are we supposed so catch ?" I asked looking at the rope the boy was tying to a tree.

"It doesn't matter. You can resume your fight and let me work. In silence." he said.

I heavily blushed as he was implying we both were useless again. I knew that this trap would work only if he wanted to catch a deer. And they wouldn't come here with all the ruckus the other girl was causing. But I was a kunoïchi in training, and I decided not to let my anger take over.

"We're supposed to act like a team. I don't trust nor like either of you. It does not mean I can't work with you. Now give me that rope and let's try to make something better together." I calmly said.

At this very moment I saw recognition in their eyes. Then we devised on how we should make the trap. Just in case I made them do a bird trap with sticky pine tar and bread crumbs. I was sure that even with ropes and a hidden hole we wouldn't catch any big animal.

I was wrong, I was so, so wrong. Because in the depths of the forest the bigger preys were idiots like us.

We had hidden in a bush to wait for the animals to come. They were supposed to flee from the other teams and fall in our trap. No animal came. Time went on. Ami would get no answer from Sasuke-San when she tried to chat with him. I felt the shinobi he could be in his posture. The girl decided to fill her time by brutally poking me with a stick when the boy wasn't looking.

Then we heard soft steps on the fallen leaves in front of us. We looked up to two big yellow eyes. Wild eyes. I gulped heavily. I had read that a wolf could be driven away if he thought the prey more dangerous than him. Maybe if we stood up and looked like a six-armed monster the beast would go away.

I didn't have the time to voice my solution because Ami ran away screaming at the top of her lungs, forgetting about the boy she pretended to love and the girl she enjoyed bullying. I feared the beast would track the girl, but it seemed to think she wasn't worth the run. I kept looking it in the eyes. It growled at us. I growled harder. It seemed to work for a while.

Sasuke-San was petrified with fright. My mind was blank, I was merely calculating what could be the better outcome in this situation. I had to scare him away than run to Sensei with my last teammate.

"Follow me" I ordered the boy.

Slowly, we moved, the beast followed us. It wasn't attacking yet. Both of us still growling. I didn't have any kunai to grip with my shaking hands. The path was behind us and the wolf was getting closer.

"We're gonna die !" Sasuke-San whined.

Frighten by bigger than itself, right ? I freed my hands and made the signs I knew by heart.

"Henge !" I shouted, changing myself into a big bear.

I roared at the wolf who suddenly drew back directly into our trap. It was over. I changed back. We had done it ! I looked at Sasuke-San, a relieved smile on my face. I helped him getting back on his feet.

"You saved us, Kagome ! " he said. "I thought we were dead !"

I looked away. I didn't know how to take his praise.

Sensei and Ami came running towards us. The girl was still crying. Our teacher looked at the beast that was blocked on the hole we dug earlier, firmly tied with ropes.

"Thank Kami you're all right." the adult said. "What happened here ?"

"Nothing special, sir." I said with pride. "We just captured a wolf."

* * *

><p><em>Funny no one suggested Sasuke as a possible date. I think I might go for something like a loop : Sasuke attracted to Kagerou, who has unrequited feelings for Lee, who's goddess is Sakura, who is Sasuke's fangirl and teammate.<em>

_It sounds amusing and opens a lot of possibilities._

_What do you think ?_

_Do you have other possible theories about Kagerou's romantic involvement._


	16. Uchiha Sasuke

_Hello everyone ! How are you doing since yesterday ?_

_I'm watching my baby grow, and it makes me very proud. I can't wait until the big events starts !_

* * *

><p><strong>Uchiha Sasuke<strong>

I had always thought becoming friends with Sasuke-San could be a bad idea. At first I had been wanting to get close to him to know Shisui-Nii better. But many girls of the class would have been my enemies. Lots of them, and even upperclassmen were 'in love' with him. I didn't clearly understand what it meant, but it involved pursuing him in the corridors, fighting to sit next to him and so on. To my mind, the boy was pretty boring : he was performing exactly how the son of a great clan should.

I was one of the rare people not interested in him.

Is it the very reason he started to act more friendly with me ? I don't know.

Everything started the day after we caught that wolf. Somehow that act of bravery made me very popular among the people of our class and I was surrounded by questions. It frightened me. I had never trust people, and I was almost sure they would turn away from me after a while. After all; I still was Naruto's sister, and they had been taught not to approach him.

As I was keeping a place for Sakura-Chan, I had been doing it since the beginning of the second year, someone else sat there when I was busy trying to answer all the people that wanted to chat with me. Seems like everyone wanted to know the story of me changing into a bear to fight a wolf un order to defend Sasuke-San. They wouldn't stop asking questions or praise me for my courage or my modesty. When I finally turned around to tell my neighbour that someone else was supposed to seat there, I had been surprised to find the very boy I was talking about.

"Ohayo, Kagome-Chan !" he greeted me.

He still thought that was my name. I opened my mouth to answer when I caught a flash of pink in the crowd. The look the girl gave me that day had been more dreadful than any wolf or any group pressure. Even if we weren't really friends, Sakura-Chan was very dear to me. And her eyes were telling we were over.

I did the most sensible thing I could do that day : I ran away. From everything. For the first time in my life, I skipped school.

I managed to return to class the day after. And the next one. And Sasuke-San would always want to sit next to me. It had been more and more difficult to find people to stay with that wouldn't accept him around and stay nice with me. I was a hard worker, and I absolutely had no idea what normal people were supposed to talk about.

Time went on and I found myself alone again. Fortunately Naru-Chan was there for me, but only when he wasn't busy pranking people. In the end the brunette wasn't giving up. Why did he want to talk to me, to eat lunch with me or hanging with me. I didn't want him to !

I realised that Sasuke-San was the very first person I didn't want around me, despite being lonely and without friends.

"Stop following me", I said to him one day.

"Don't you like me, Kagome-Chan ?" he honestly asked

"Don't call me so casually like that ! Only Onii-Chan can call me that !" I yelled.

He had a thoughtful look in his eyes that day. I saw something in his eyes, something dark that I didn't like. It disappeared a few seconds later as he smiled to me again. This was so annoying ! Just like Shisui-Nii did. The Uchiha clansmen certainly didn't know when to give up ! But the situation was different : I couldn't be possibly friends with Sasuke-San. Because he was my brother's rival, and I liked him much, much more than anyone else.

"Who's Onii-Chan ?" Sasuke-San asked me a few days later.

"My very special friend. Now be gone ! It's your fault if I have to eat my lunch alone."

"I'm still here, and I'm your friend too."

"No you're not. I don't like you."

"That's why I appreciate your company. You're not acting like one of my fangirls at all. And you're smart, cute and kind-hearted, that's why you're my favourite girl in the world."

He couldn't stop saying the same things Onii-Chan did ! In his mouth it tasted like poison. It couldn't be true. We didn't know each other at all. He couldn't even say my name right ! He was just staying with me because I wasn't annoying. He would always get on my nerves. I sincerely didn't like him at all. I wasn't like all this fawning girls around him. I was different. And I was failing to keep him away. In the end, all I could do was run.

The very next day, there was this rumour going on about Sasuke-San liking long-haired girls. It wouldn't be long before they learn that his dream girl was called Kagome. I had to do something about this situation before all his fangirls decided to beat me up.

"Onii-Chan ! I want you o cut my hair short." I said him when he came to see me.

"But why ? You're so pretty, Kagerou-Chan, it'd be a crime !" Shisui-Nii whined.

"You know the boy who's been wanting to become my friend since last spring ? He told everyone he liked me because I had long hair."

I saw the anger rise within my Onii-Chan. Somehow he turned very jealous when we talked about love and stuff like that.

"You're sure he would stop liking you if you had short hair ?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then hairdresser, here we come ! No boy will ever touch my fair Kagerou-Chan !"

And I had my haircut for free. Which make me look cuter according to Shisui-Nii's tastes. And apparently Sasuke-San's. Uchiha men are all the same.

* * *

><p><em>What do you think of Kegerou's relationship with Sasuke ? She respects him (she always adds an honorific at the end of his first name, see ?), but she doesn't like him because he is her brother's rival.<br>_

_Do you think she can like him as a friend when she will notice the bond between Naruto and Sasuke ?_

_Do you think she'd rather not like him because it messed up with Sakura ?_

_Do you think Sasuke's acting is canon (for the Sasuke before the massacre) ?_

Special thanks to those who favorited this fiction. Thanks for those who keep following it everyday.

See ya !


	17. Skipping class

_Hello everyone !_

_Where were we in that poll last time :_

_Kakashi : 1 vote_

_Itachi : 2 votes_

_I reflected on this couple. For now, and until the massacre, their only link will be Shisui. Including the fact that she willl only be 7 when it occurs and that Itachi-San wil be considered as a criminal for a long time, I'm not sure it can work._

_Shikamaru : 2 votes_

_Sai : 2 votes_

_I agree with Dr Otaku on this. Sai will probably unintentionally hurt her feeling with the way he is, before understanding what he did wrong. Unfortunately I don't picture a nice and fluffy relationship for them. As far as I can see, the older Kagerou doen't seem to forgive easily the harm done, even if she makes it look like she doesn't care. That might be pretty disturbing to Sai._

_Lee : 1 vote_

_Speaking about him, I feel like my loop idea is bad. mean it would be fun, but I don't see how Kagerou could fall for him. She may be impressed by his will to become a ninja using only Taïjutsu, which can in a sense remember her about her own ambitions, but I can't picture it becomming love._

_Sasuke : 1 vote_

_I'm not sure about a romantic relationship between these two. Her feelings for Naruto makes she doesn't like Sasuke, and I don't think it will change after Naruto befriending him. Apart from that she doesn't have anything for or against him. I'm not quite sure if he will leave Konoha for Orochimaru, but that might not be good for the two of them. And I'm not sure how well Sasuke will cope with his old feelings for her that aren't quite love for now (I'll explain in the bottom of this page)_

_Kiba : 1 vote_

_It could actually work quite well with these two. Naruto has a healthy relationship with him and might approve of their relationship, so no problem on this side. I wonder about Kagerou's relationship with Akamaru though, for she seems more like a cat person. But Kiba seems a prety good candidate for a teenage romance. And Kiba will probably help her build bonds with other people._

* * *

><p><strong>Skipped class<strong>

I couldn't stand that crowd and their praises. What I'd done was merely saving our lives. It was a question of survival, I did the most logical thing to do. I didn't expect any reward. I'd never wanted any. I wasn't a hero, I was just a little girl. Nothing more. The day I saved us from the wolf, I was only standing because I didn't want people to help me. I didn't want to be indebted to them. I would only get hurt afterwards.

And it happened : I had lost Sakura-Chan. Even if we weren't exactly friends, it still hurt.

I ran away from the class. I ran and ran again, following my brother. I would always know where to look. His chakra signature was so bright... Everything frightened me to no end this day. The pride I had yesterday was gone. It had been gone since last night when I silently cried in my brother's arms. I didn't want to be in the light. Light meant people, and people meant bad things happening.

Only Naru-Chan could chase my ghosts away.

I almost bumped in a boy as I was still running towards him.

"Hey, watch out !" Inuzuka Kiba growled, and the puppy hidden in his hood barked. "Well said Akamaru !"

"Gomen !" I muttered before bowing slightly.

"Naruto, your sister's here." Choji said munching his snacks.

"Kage-Chan ?" my brother asked.

I didn't utter a word. I threw myself at him and dug my head in the crook of his neck. I didn't notice I was trembling before the blonde held me tight. His smell invaded my nose and I slowly calmed down. It always worked on me. I felt his anger rising in him. His chakra was boiling. Deep inside of him a red and massive energy emerged.

"What happened ? Who did that to you ?" he asked with concern.

"People... People are scary..." I whispered against his shoulder.

"Hey, weren't you with Sasuke yesterday ? I heard you tamed a bear and fought a wolf." Kiba-San said.

My face was hot and red. It was so embarrassing. Why were the other pranksters here when I felt so bad ? I didn't want them to see me crying. Naruto would look so uncool, and it would be my fault. I gritted my teeth and wiped my eyes on his shirt.

"So what ?" I asked with a crooked voice.

"Nothing, I thought it was cool. You don't have to be so upset about that !"

He was pouting a bit.

"Heh, you don't want your mom to know you made a girl cry." Shikamaru-San teased him.

"Oh, shut up !" he answered.

The image made me smile. I stopped hugging my brother. He was probably touchy about his 'friends' seeing him comforting me. He took my hand in his. They were against me staying with them today, but Naruto refused to let me go. My brother was an incredible person. I loved him.

* * *

><p><em><span>Something I'd like to talk about<span> :_

_I received two anonymous reviews about Kagerou and Naruto's relationship lacking and the OCC-ness of Sasuke. I don't agree with both your comments entirely. I know Kagerou doesn't seem very close with Naruto. It is very difficult to speak of everything, given the form of my story, because every chapter focuses in a minor part of her life. In fact the chapter about Sasuke was supposed to be splitted in two and to have little stories about their routine inside. But I did otherwise so I might have to speak about that in tomorrow's chapters. About Sasuke, I remind you that he hasn't lived the Uchiha massacre, so he isn't asocial. We saw that others didn't go to him because he was an Uchiha heir in the manga, but Sasuke seemed rather nice in other parts of his life._

_In fact I can explain Sasuke's behaviour with Kagerou rather simply. She saved his life, so he thinks he owe her. Plus she isn't clinging to him, so he's interested in having her as a friend. Furthermore she is a genius and reminds him of his own brother which he reveres in this time of the story. But she isn't as strong as his brother, so having her with him makes him feel like he can be part of their kind. And he also want to keep her by his side because she is someone his brother could be interested in, in Sasuke's opinion. In the one hand Kagerou could give him more value in his brother's eyes, in the other hand she is someone his brother doesn't know, so Sasuke won't be a copy of his brother in that way._

_I hope what I said made sense..._


	18. Rivalry

! WARNING !

Double update today, go back to chapter 17, plize !

! WARNING !

* * *

><p><strong>Rivalry<strong>

"You what ?" Naruto shouted that night at home.

"I think I kinda befriended Sasuke-San." I repeated.

After spending the day with Naruto and the other prankster, I saw they weren't bad boys. I had been worried about my brother. Actually I thought he was bullied seeing him with scratches or bumps at home. In fact they were just boys fighting each other when they wanted to make a point. Today my presence did trigger something in them and my brother fought to defend our honour.

He asked me what was wrong when we found ourselves alone. We had stayed in the park the boys decided to stay today, playing together until their parents went for him, sulking about them slipping class. It had been a very painful moment. No one would come for us...

"But... but you can't ! I refuse that he becomes you friend." he groaned.

"Believe-me, I know !" I protested

"Than tell him to go away. My sister will never be friends with a bastard like him."

And I tried, and tried again. But the Uchiha boy was really persistent. It seemed like getting to know me made me even more incredible in his eyes. I didn't know why. I wasn't an interesting person, and my brother was the most hated child in all Konoha.

"Why is he still sitting near you in class ? I thought I told you not to stay with him ?" Naru-Chan said a week after I had saved us from the wolf.

"I swear I'm trying. He even made me lose Sakura-Chan !"

"You're just like the other girls. I'm sure you're in love with him."

"I don't !"

"Then prove it ! Make him go away !"

"Well it doesn't work."

"Then you should try harder, you're the smart one here !"

"I told you I was trying."

Our quarrel was interrupted by the neighbours yelling we were too noisy. That night I turned my back on Naruto when we drifted to sleep. It was so unfair. That night he glowed red and moaned in his sleep again. It happened more often when he was bothered.

The day after Naruto decided to stay in class. He made us seat so that only him could be near me. Everyone stayed away from us. Not only was my brother was unpopular, but he had that malevolent aura around him to keep everyone away. It didn't stop Sasuke-San from coming.

"Move, Uzumaki. I want to seat near you sister." he said.

"You will not ! My sister can't be friend with you."

"I'm the one deciding. I'm her best friend."

"W...what ?" I stuttered

"I don't approve that !" my brother said.

"Never asked you to."

"Please, stop." I pleaded "Everyone is looking at us."

"I will stop when he moves away." Sasuke-San said.

"I will stop when he stops bothering you." Naru-Chan said.

I got up and tried to separate the boys. They were too strong and my arms were too weak. Everyone was looking and I felt uncomfortable. Sooner or later I would break. I had been nice and polite with everyone. I had been invisible and I wanted to stay that way. But they'd better not take Sasuke-San's side, or I'll show them what it cost being against my brother.

Sensei punished the three of us for the ruckus we caused. I was so ashamed. I had always been a invisible, and now I was shown to everyone like an example not to follow. At least I was glad that the one that deserved the punishment was also with us.

"I hope you understand that the classroom isn't a playground, Naruto-Kun. You owe Sasuke-Kun an apology for yelling at him." Sensei told us on the evening.

"He started it. And I'm not sorry." my brother said.

"I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to seat next to her." Sasuke-San snarled.

"That bastard can't stop stalking my sister." Naruto growled.

"I think she can speak for herself, can't she ?" Sensei said.

I looked the adult in the eyes while they waited for our answer. Something told me that he would accept only one answer. He would not believe Sasuke-San was guilty. In fact his presence only bothered me because the other girls were bullying me even more than before. If it had been anyone else, everything would have been fine. I could have coped with the situation if it had been the only problem. I didn't know the boy enough to reject him. But I liked Naru-Chan the most.

"My brother was already sitting next to me. Sasuke-San was trying to make him go." I said.

"You don't have to protect Naruto-Kun because he's your brother." Sensei smiled.

I knew that false kindness. I it hid pity for me and unjustified hate for my brother. It said "Kagerou-Chan, you are smart and nice girl. But Naruto-Kun is your brother, he can't be right. And even if he is indeed right, he deserves his punishment."

"I'm not protecting my brother. I'm telling the truth. You're being unfair." I said.

I saw that he wasn't used to be talked back to. And he was even more surprised that I was the one to do so. Without losing my calm.

"I... am your Sensei. I saw... exactly what happened. You're a very bad girl if you keep lying like that."

His voice was trembling with contained anger.

"You're bad at lying Sensei." I serenely noted.

"Just... go home. Kagerou-Chan, I will deal with the issue myself." he cringed.

"You might want to punish me as well, because I will keep telling the truth you call a lie." I continued steadily.

As he was menacing, I felt just like in front of that wolf. I was scared. Confronting an adult was scary. But I had my brain thinking too loud for me to listen to that fear. And I won't hesitate using any means necessary to save my brother. Sensei's chakra was agitated. He was beyond furious but there was more than just this emotion inside of him.

"And who will believe the so called truth of one Uzumaki orphan." he mocked me.

"Hokage-Sama might." the answer fused.

It was a bluff. We had never faced the Hokage directly. I remember he was nice to us though. And it seemed to work because Akame-Sensei let us go only if I swore not to tell anyone what happened here. I swore. Maybe I could have asked more. But I didn't. Blackmailing a teacher was already enough of a crime.

I don't know what hurt me more that day. The relief in Sasuke-San's voice who was also relaxed, or the concern in my brother's eye. I was such a bad girl !

* * *

><p><em>I think Kagerou's personnality is getting deeper. Her mind can be her weakness and her strengh at the same time. See how she doesn't hesitate to use it against bigger enemies. I'm not sure this would be a good idea in an hostile land, for she might be attacked by an enraged opponent.<br>_

_What do you think of this side of Kagerou ? Do you think it works with the way she is ?_

_See ya !_


	19. Manipulation

_Wow ! That chapter has ben so easy to white it makes more than 1 500 words. I wanted to talk about something else, but I couldn't ignore my muse like that.  
><em>

_About the poll, where are we now ?_

_Kakashi : 1 vote_

_Itachi : 2 votes_

_Shikamaru : 3 votes_

_Sai : 2 votes_

_Lee : 1 vote_

_Sasuke : 1 vote_

_Kiba : 1 vote_

_I had a very accurate review that said because Kagerou intended to help her brother from the shadows, she shouldn't have a boyfriend from the Konoha 12. I know my previous chapters and title imply that idea. Well to my mind the chapters are how Kagerou thinks now. I'll explain it more in the following chapters, but Kagerou isn't interested in being ninja. I said "All of them aimed to be ninja" or something close when she spoke of her classmates. She doesn't include herself in them. For now Kagerou thinks she has the ability to be a good kunoïchi, but she isn't that interested in being one. She hasn't decided nor thought about her future life more than seeing her brother succeeding. And she can support Naruto in so many ways withouth being in the light that I don't think it matters much if her boyfriend is someone from the Konoha 12._

_I hope the person who made that remark will understant my thoughts about this subject and will help me clearing my mind about it once more. But thank you for your review, it made me think that Kagerou could date a civilian OC or a background character._

_About Kagerou's personnality, I was also being told that Kagerou was being shy in front of her Sensei while she had bluntly answered Shisui when he helped her. In her opinion, even if the Uchiha seemed nice, he still was a stranger invading her privacy. About her reaction with her Sensei, this chapter is about it, so you should read it and tell me if it satisfies you._

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><p><strong>Manipulation<strong>

It was one of these days at school I thought boring as hell because I had already studied the subject more than what we were told at our age. Today had been very harsh, because I had to flee from Sasuke and his fangirls. Since last time with Aoi-Sensei, he had put some distance between us, and I thought he finally had given up. In the end I had learnt that it wasn't because he didn't want to, but because our teacher firmly asked him not to stay with Naruto or me. Seems like the boy still respected that person's authority.

I had always thought someone should be respected at two different levels. One should be respected for its status in the one hand, and for oneself on the other hand. I though going against a teacher was bad, but he was being unfair to my brother for the wrong reasons. Not only was he incapable as a Sensei, but he was also an idiot. So I protected my brother the best I could.

And Aoi-Sensei had his revenge. He isolated me from everyone that could be my friend at school. That wasn't so bad at first because I was used to this situation. Then he managed to make me stick around school while the parents were taking their children home. I would always feel wrong while watching them with their happy faces. It made me want to cry so bad. It hurt so much. And I knew Sensei would be there to watch me. It was his sick pleasure.

"You have no right to make me stay after the class" I said after he fooled me twice.

"You can't prove that, girl. You are merely a model student cleaning the room in the evening. What a nice person you are, Kagerou-Chan" he answered.

"I will prove it." I retorted.

"And say the Hokage, I know. You deceived me with that last time. But it's my turn to threaten you."

I looked at him. Was he serious ? He would blackmail a seven year old girl just to get his revenge. What a fine adult he was ! And people expected me to believe in them with that kind of person as a role model.

"You're unfair, Sensei. Worse than that you are an idiot. I don't know who made you in charge of this class, but he might be a little bit on the crazy side."

I saw him tighten his fists and his knuckles were white. He and I perfectly knew it was his word against mine, and his was worth more as he was an adult. But if he only laid a hand on me, I'd have a proof of what I was saying. And that was exactly what I was aiming for. Right now I didn't fear the pain, for the man who would strike me was pathetic.

Shisui-Nii was wrong : I was not a nice girl at all. Most of the adults I've known in history books and in my current time have had their way only by manipulating one another. If I needed this to make my brother a ninja, then I wouldn't hesitate. Only in the limits of the law, that was for sure. I may be a bad girl, I wasn't a criminal. My trust issues had yet to taint my faith in the figures of authority. If the people in charge had all the right to be where they were, it was fine by me. But they'd better stay out of my brother's way. He would be a competent Hokage, I was sure of that. I'd just have to make sure to keep him everything that could damage his shiny self away.

Aoi-Sensei was an stubborn obstacle. But he was only hurting me. Maybe he thought I deserved to be taught a lesson. And it would. But not the one he had wanted. He would like me to respect his abusive authority. It would only make me better equipped to fight those of his kind.

Even if it hurt so deep to feel this loneliness. It only fuelled my disgust against his methods. And mine by extension.

"Kagerou-Chan, I'll advise you not to challenge me so bluntly. I can make your life much worse than it already is."

"I will talk. Even if I can't reach the Hokage, some people can hear me."

I had a friend who worked in the police department, for instance. I bet Onii-Chan could make his life a living hell. Well it would imply showing my precious person who I really was, and maybe he would turn away from me. But I didn't have to go to that extent, do I ?

"And who would help the manipulative brat related to the most hated child in the village, tell me ?" he gloated. "You have no one, kid. And that is too bad I have to spoil such a fine girl to clean the village from its filth."

I heavily sighted. He wouldn't understand even if I was holding a panel danger in my hands. He probably allowed my rudeness last time because of Sasuke-San's presence. Now we were alone and I was merely the seven-year-old sister of the demon child. He probably thought he could do whatever he wanted. But so could I.

"Allow me to congratulate you, sir." I said. "You have the most totally closed mind that I've ever encountered."

What I was really saying could be "Come on ! Hit me and we'll see who's the most to lost."

And he was close to snap. I observed his reaction with detachment, as if I wasn't really inside my body. As if I could tell what was coming next if I did that or that move. Deep inside my body I could sense the wrongness of my actions. For now I could push my guilt aside.

"Do you really want me to prevent your brother from graduating ?" he asked.

That question simply broke my concentration. Anger, guilt and disgust irrupted into my mind. I was unable to think clearly. I had no next move coming into my mind. Winning here would crush my brother's dreams. But I couldn't simply accept to lose. This is how twisted an adult could be ?

"That mister, would be totally illegal" a voice said in the entrance of the class.

"O... Onii-Chan !" I exclaimed with surprise.

"Uchiha-san ! What owe me the pleasure to your visit ? Go home Kagerou-Chan. I hope that supplementary lesson had been beneficial to you."

"You bet !" I sarcastically said.

I saw the anger in the teacher's eyes as I was leaving the room. But he wouldn't make a move. Now he knew.

Since when had Shisui-Nii had been here ? What did he heard from me ? The emotions were spinning my head, but my hand was in his and he wouldn't stop walking me home. We didn't speak on the way. My head was low. I was such a bad girl, weren't I ? But I didn't want to see Naruto suffer because of me. I wasn't strong enough to stand up against adults. Next time I would really get hit.

"Am I a good person ?" I finally asked.

"How do you thing a good person should be ?" he asked me in return.

"Someone who makes good things happen, and do everything right ?" I offered.

Shisui crouched in front of me. I was about to cry. Tears were stuck behind my eyelids, ready to fall.

"That would be a perfect person. Sometimes people makes mistakes. Sometimes people do wrong things so that other people don't have to suffer."

"But I said bad stuff on purpose, how is that right ?" I almost shrieked.

"Calm down, Kagerou-Chan. You were protecting you and your brother from Aoi-Sensei's stupidity, right ? Know that in life, you'll have to work for idiots with power. Ninja do that all the time. We do much worse than you did for the sake of these people."

"Is it right to do bad things for good things to happen ?"

"It isn't, but sometimes you will be forced to do these things. Doing them or not is up to you. People pay Shinobi to do things that can either be good or bad. But you have to think beyond that and know how to live with the memory of what you've done."

I saw guilt and profound sadness in Shisui-Nii's eyes. I had never wanted to be a ninja in the first place. But it was a well-paid job and I was gifted, so I thought sharing my brother's dream was the logical thing to do. I wasn't so sure about that seeing how it hurt my Onii-Chan.

"Don't you like being a ninja ?"

"My whole clan are ninja, Kagerou. And I have a huge dream I won't reach without being a ninja."

"What is that ?"

"Peace."

In all the books I had read, many people had fought to make peace. But it was for everybody else's good. Somehow I thought protecting my brother and I was nothing of a goal compared to Shisui-Nii's.

"You're not a bad person, Kagerou-Chan. You wouldn't be my favourite little girl of the world otherwise."

* * *

><p><em>So Kagerou knows she is being bad and has second thoughts about it. But she doesn't hesitate to do them for those she loves. I think this is coherent with her personnality. But I wonder how she will end up while growing. She can already ignore her emotions while "working". <em>

_I'm also concerned about her relationship with her brother, because she will hide this side of her to remain his nice little sister._

_Enough rambling, let me know you thoughts about that._

_Thanks to everyone who left a review, sent me a PM or favorited this fanfic. It means a lot to me !_


	20. Playtime

_Hey guys ! What's up today !_

_Damn, I forgot how my schedule on Wednesday made it hard to write. But I promised I would write at least one chapter a day, so there it is !_

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><p><strong>Playtime<strong>

"Let's catch tadpoles" Naruto told me.

I closed my math book and yawned. It was high time I went outside. I had been told reading all day could tire my eyes. Indeed they stung me and I held my need to rub them back.

"Why not" I said. "The weather is nice."

"And I've just finished these two jars of jam." he beamed at me.

That could explain the sweet smell around him.

"You glutton idiot !" I joked and he pouted.

We smiled.

The pond where my brother expected us to catch tadpoles was outside the village, near the edge of the forest. It took us about twenty minutes to get there. The sun was high in the sky and it didn't seem like autumn would come soon. I was carrying a shoulder bag with our treasured glass pot, and Naruto was swinging a tree branch he had found earlier.

He bet he was faster than I was and there we were running like wind on the green hills. We were free. There was no one to reproach us from being here, nor beat us. Naruto arrived just a bit before me. I protested I lost because I was being careful with my load. He pretended he took the challenge easy. I stuck my tongue out at him.

We finally arrived before the pond. It was really profound and muddy. The water looked very fresh. Inside, little black dots were dancing. We watched them in a silent owe before Naruto glanced a little dark green frog jumping in the grass near us.

"Gotcha !" he shouted, but the batrachian escaped.

"You're really not good, bro." I mocked him gently.

"Then you ought to be better than me, sis." he teased me.

After a few trial and lots of mud specks, I finally got the animal between my hands. I opened my fingers slightly to show my prey and she flew away again.

"You're worse than me !" he laughed.

"Hey, I caught it, you didn't. Watch my superiority and bow to me, peasant !"

He dramatically fell on his knees.

"I salute you, oh, great Kagerou-Sama-Dono..."

"Please, do continue." I said in a false haugty voice."

"You're the best of the best, and the queen of... mud pies !"

He grabbed a sticky handle of dirt and threw it to my face. I dodged it at the last moment, only to slip and fell on the ground. I giggled again before getting my revenge. Soon we both had muck covering our arms and legs, dirtying our clothes. His hair was a mess of brown, and I supposed mine was too.

We rested on our back, watching the clouds. In the end we had caught nothing in our jars.

I took my brother's hand and we went to the river to wash ourselves. The water was brown after it passed us. This time again had been very fun and ended up in a water fight between the two of us. Then we decided to strip and let the sun dry shirts, shorts and shoes while we resumed our brawl. I wasn't wearing any bra, for my breasts had yet to grow. We were only seven, and we were siblings. It didn't shock us.

Then I felt like being observed. I looked at Naruto. He too had stopped. I joined my hands and focused on the chakra signatures around. At the beginning my brother's was so present it masked everything. Then I felt someone coming our way. No, wait. There were too. One has his energy going all over the place like inexperienced people in the classroom, and I thought it was only him. But there was someone else. Practically a ghost. I couldn't say who it was, but it had to be a ninja. I tried to search further, when a pair of cold hands grabbed my shoulders.

"Kagerou ! What's wrong ?" he said with a worried tongue.

The real world was spinning around me, and my head was pounding. I heard my loud heartbeats hitting the inside of my skull. My legs wouldn't support me right and I fell in his arms. I saw a red liquid running on his chest. My nose was bleeding.

"I overdid it. Nothing wrong. Just help me reach the riverbank." I croaked.

My body was heavy as I told him two people were coming this way. But as we put our dried clothes back on, we only saw a boy on the other side of the stream. It was Sasuke. His gaze on my brother was hard, and I guessed My brother wore the same. I was too far away to bother about Sasuke.

"Hey, Kagome-Chan !" he called. "I want to present you to someone great."

"Like hell she will come with you !" Naruto growled.

He took my hand and we turned our backs on the boy, running in the hills again. His voice was a mere memory when I stopped being dragged by my brother. We caught our breath a minute until I felt better.

"I thought you said they were two ?" Naruto wondered out loud.

Who did I sense back then ? I was sure I had felt this presence before. But I couldn't say for sure, as Shisui-Nii made me do too many exercises to learn tracking for me to remember who had which signature.

"Forget about it. I must have dreamt it."

* * *

><p><em>I know Uzumaki's are supposed to have a lot of chakra inside them, but remember they are only small. Even if Kagerou can use her energy better thanks to her calculus, it is still hard to do what she does. Especially when you know who she was trying to identify (all of you have guessed, haven't you ?)<br>_

_I wanted to show how Kagerou was with her brother for a long time, and it's done. They are so cute together !_

Then, see you tomorrow !


	21. Invitation

_Why does inspiration only comes when time is short ? I don't know and this update sure is longer than I had expected. Aren't you lucky ?_

_And yes, anonymous guest, I will update within the next 10 minutes you reviewed my fanfic. Don't be so impatient people !_

_Anyway, thanks for your reviews ^^_

_**Kana-Chan01** : La rencontre entre Itachi et Kagerou est pour dans deux chapitres, je pense._

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><p><strong>Invitation<strong>

Everything started because of Sasuke-San. That idiot. Since Shisui-Nii had learnt that he was the boy who told everyone at school he had a thing for me, he decided to make some space in my life so I could have the opportunity to make new friends. As if I wanted friends like him. He was always there trying to impress me for I don't know which reason. plus Onii-San kinda confessed that I wasn't really the one the boy was trying to get close to.

Shisui-Nii playing matchmaker and Sasuke-San's weird behaviour led to this situation : I was officially invited to the Uchiha compound.

"You can't go! I wouldn't be able to protect you from the bastard !" Naruto protested when I showed him the pretty white scroll Onii-Chan had given to me. "Tell them you refuse."

"But it would be very impolite to do so. See, they say it's to thank me for saving Sasuke's life back then."

"Why now ?"

"They probably didn't view this at important at the time." I supposed. "Or maybe they had been busy..."

Or maybe does it had to do with all the silly acts Sasuke-San did that whole week. First he wanted me to see "the greatest ninja ever", which I didn't care after he told me it was just an awesome ANBU. Seriously, these guys were elite, why would they even tell a child who would just brag about this ? Or Sasuke-San was lying, and trying to impress me. Again. Second he suggested I should check out his mother's food because it was amazing. I had no time to be that lazy so I refused. Finally he asked me to teach him some of the things he pretended he didn't get at school.

And of course he did that when his fangirls nor Aoi-Sensei were nowhere to be seen, so exactly when he found where I had been hiding from him during lunch. Now I had to find another place to rest in the school ground.

"Now I can't refuse. It would be very impolite."

"You were polite when you beat Aoi-Sensei." he said. "And you still stand for me."

I tensed, how could he... Then I recalled what I told our teacher to protect my brother from an unfair punishment. I bluffed about being close to the Hokage and he had believed me. And Naruto was right, I had been polite. I had to make sure my brother didn't know I insulted Aoi-Sensei. And answer to his threats by other threats.

"It's different, bro. They are one of the most powerful clan of Konoha. I can't say 'no' without a valid reason."

"Tell them you won't come because their son is an ass."

"Maybe, but I still saved his life. And don't tell me I shouldn't have. There was a wolf in front of us, and I am not the kind of person to leave people in danger when I can help."

"Then I'm coming, 'tebayo !" my brother growled. "Sasuke had better no try to come next to you."

"Coming where."

"To the Uchiha compound, of course. I'll protect you from everything !"

"But... the invitation doesn't say..."

"I hate doing this, because you're too nice for your own good, Kagerou-Chan. Let me come with you or else..."

"Or else what ?"

"Or else I'll come in your place."

I looked at us in the mirror hanged on the wall. I didn't have his whiskers, his face was rounder than mine, his hair was too spiky and too blonde. Naruto didn't know how to pull a Henge right. When he did he looked like someone who had had bubonic plague. And I absolutely didn't want him to pull his so called "Oiroke no Jutsu" he invented !

"You win, we'll go together."

So we were nicely clothed on the afternoon, ready to fight Uchiha. My hand in his hand was hidden by the long sleeves of our yukata. They were those Shisui-Nii had bought us for my birthday and were becoming too short. We hadn't much difficulties finding their compound since we relayed on my chakra sensors. I had thought the two guards in the entrance would prevent us from entering, but a women who just had the same face as Sasuke-San came to us.

"Sis, that lady..." he whispered. "Her face..."

"I saw that. Now try not to be an idiot in front of Sasuke-San's relative." I answered.

She welcomed us with a warm smile that made my cheeks and Naruto's redden. Not many adults gave us smiles as nice as that. It felt nice. She tried to take our hands but I couldn't detach myself from my brother. She gave up and enjoined us to follow her. She wasn't the least fazed by Naruto's presence. I glanced at the two ninja guarding the place. Their face told different stories. That Mikoto-Sama was a women of power if she could do something men disapproved without being blamed.

I had never thought women could have any power in this country. Every book I had read only mentioned men doing great things, so I assumed women only had to play minor roles in life. I liked helping my brother grow, and I won't stop doing so. But sometimes I thought I could do so much better, seeing how some adults weren't worthy of being in charge.

"So, Kagerou-Chan, Naruto-Kun, I assume you've come because of the formal invitation we send you. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"It was no bother, Mikoto-Sama." I said.

"Don't lie to my face, girl. I know how much efforts Sasuke put into making you come to our house."

She laughed and I averted my eyes. My lips carried a slight smile she wouldn't like. Sasuke-San probably had no idea I had come with my brother. And they hated each other.

"I only came because it seemed important." I said.

"You didn't come to see my son, did you ?" she mused.

"He's been annoying her since she saved her." Naruto growled.

Mikoto-San smiled and mocked my brother's protectiveness gently. Neither of us could answer her taunting. She was so nice to us it felt bad to retort. But she was right, Naruto was very protective of me, and so was I when it came to defend us. We had lived long enough to know there wasn't anything wrong with that.

"In fact my husband and I decided to reward you for your courage."

"Please don't. I too had been threatened by that beast. I merely did..."

"No complaints, young lady. We know how difficult your life is, and that Shisui-Kun supports you by giving you some money from his missions. That is very generous of him, but we felt the whole clan was indebted to you. So we decided to give you a monthly rent for what you've done for my son."

The most embarrassing thing had yet to come. The Uchiha matriarch kneeled in front of us and bowed ! Unbelievable ! It felt very wrong and I was stuttering sentences that had no sense at all to make her stop. It only amused her more and she was still laughing while standing up.

"You're such a sweet girl, Kagerou-Chan. No wonder Sasuke is so fond of you."

"I don't want him to be, tell him to stop." I grumbled, still embarrassed.

"Yeah ! And punish him for being such a..."

I elbowed him to shut him up. My brother had such a big mouth sometimes. Even if the lady wasn't behaving like I had expected (since when did the matriarch of a clan acted that way ?), Naruto couldn't insult her son in front of her. Even if I might agree wholeheartedly.

"Naruto !" I protested. "Behave !"

"Something in you reminds me of my elder son when he was very young, Kagerou-Chan." Mikoto-Sama said with melancholy. "He too was smart and cared deeply for those he loved. But let's not talk about these things."

She started asking us what we wanted to eat when a black form slid the door open and asked what my brother was doing here.

"He came with his sister, Sasuke. Isn't he a nice brother ?" his mother asked with a sweet smile.

Sasuke muttered something I quite didn't hear but that seemed quite insulting toward my brother. Apparently his mother had a better hearing than mine because the aura around her changed totally. Now I started to freak out. Uchiha weren't one of the best clan of the village for nothing.

"I suggest you say some excuses to Naruto-Kun immediately, my son." she said in an icy voice.

The boy was shaking, and somehow I pitied him. I never had a parent to yell at me, nor punish me when I had done wrong things. Ladies at the orphanage probably did so, or else I wouldn't have received an education. But this... This was an incredible skill.

Strong women should have this aura thing in their arsenal. Maybe Shisui knew how to pull that trick. I should ask.

In the end Sasuke-San still got punished and Mikoto-Sama gave us the best treat ever. He was right, his mother's cooking was awesome.

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><p><em>What did you think of Mikoto ? Was she canon to you ?<br>_

_I think that this encounter will somehow start to show Kagerou that women can have a place in the ninja world (but she won't be convinced until a looooong time)_

_See you tomorrow !_


	22. Anger

_Hey guys, this is me !_

_I know I wanted to update everyday but I feel it's gonna be tricky next week, but i'll try anyway. I'm almost sure I wo't be able to publish this weekend, and I apologize._

_Now, enjoy your new chapter !_

* * *

><p><strong>Anger<strong>

I suppose being a good mother implied to know when to stop a punishment. In Sasuke-San's case, he was free as soon as he apologized to my brother. A few moments later the three of them were eating delicious food in the kitchen. I learnt that day that Sasuke-San's didn't simply liked tomatoes, he loved them with all his heart. And stomach, seeing how he stuffed himself with it. That was clearly something idiot : who would like this evil vegetable... No fruit... Whatever it was it tasted super bad.

"After this, why don't you play in the garden ?" Mikoto-Sama suggested.

"But Mom, I don't want to play with Naruto !" he whined.

"Both of them are your classmates. You should use this occasion to know them better."

"Hn." he pouted

Naruto quietly snickered. I tried not to grin myself, as the scene was highly comical. But because he was a good son, Sasuke-San showed us the garden. It was a cobbled courtyard surrounded by flowerbeds. I recognized some of them, but I wasn't really used to ornamental plants.

A gloomy silence rested around us. The boys had done nothing but glaring at each other and checking where the Uchiha matriarch was. Sometimes they exchanged a few words. The same message was conveyed. Naruto wouldn't let him lay a hand on me, and Sasuke-San had just become my self-appointed best friend. Whatever I was trying to say, one of them would speak on my behalf.

And it seriously started to get on my nerves.

Then I noticed Mikoto-Sama was gone and the tension between them had only risen. I cleared my throat.

"Maybe we should take our leave, Naruto"

"Not before that bastard promises not to stalk you ever again." my brother growled.

"I can just avoid him. Besides Aoi-Sensei already forbid him to sit by my side. There is no need to use violence." I pleaded.

"I am not stalking her !" Sasuke protested.

"Yes, you are !" Naruto shouted.

"I'm not !"

"Fine. So how do you call following me all the time ? Friendship ? Because if that's the case that's annoying, and creepy" I said.

"You are !"

"I'm not !"

"You are !"

"I'm not !"

"Neither of us is currently listening to me..." I sighted and my hands were trembling.

"You are !"

"I'm not !"

"SHUT THE FUCKING HELL UP !" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

They stopped bickering and looked at me in a silent awe. I must have imagined Sasuke-San moving back a step. I was really angry and their puerility didn't amuse me anymore. Naruto blanched. I usually kept my calm in every circumstances. But if I started to be really irritated by something, I became violent. My brother had been the one and only spectator of my tantrums before, and often the cause of it. He knew I was really hard to control in time like these.

"Hum... Kagome-Chan ?" Sasuke-San shyly called.

"You don't deserve to be my friend, you idiotic punk !"

"Sis... You should calm down..."

"And you ! If you weren't my brother, I would have kicked your ass a long time ago !" I yelled.

"I think we should go now. "Naruto said, dragging me with him.

Sasuke-San gripped my wrist and refused to let go. My brother pulled, and so did the other boy. If I had been really angry before, I was beyond that. I was about to murder the both of them. But I didn't have the time to do so as the two boy threw themselves at each other's throat and rolled away, forgetting I was their main problem.

And Naruto had always been very bad at Taijutsu. Like really really bad. And as I was running towards them, crushed by rage and worry, I way Sasuke-San's fist hitting my brother's face. His nose made an awful creaking sound. Then there was blood. Deep, red blood running from his nose and the other boy's fist fell on his face again and I moved.

My body practically moved on his own. I was used to brawl with my brother. I was used to train with my Onii-San. I was used to fight with the Academy style at school. And I don't know how I managed to grip Sasuke-San's collar and threw him away. Far. Hard. He fell on the floor, totally bewildered. I helped my brother up. He was screaming in pain. He was crying.

Nobody should ever make my brother cry.

"Now you've done it." I shouted before lunging at Sasuke.

He didn't manage to avoid me and I violently collided with him. I blocked his body under mine and he was unable to move. If everything had been hot and fuzzy before, filled with boiling rage, this was different. It was cold and resolute anger. It was the consequences he should have anticipated. Everything was painfully clear. I had to get rid of him.

"You're a hindrance." I said raising my fist and I felt like that time in the classroom.

I was totally detached from the situation, and it felt like looking someone else doing it. And observing the protagonists as if I didn't belong to them. I could see the fear in his eyes, I could feel how Naruto was enjoying the scene as well as he was worried.

"Oh Kami !" Mikoto-Sama shouted. "What happened here ?"

I shuddered, then looked at my fist. What was I about to do ? Hitting Sasuke-San ? It seemed so futile now. But I still felt the strange feeling in the back of my head. For a few minutes we hadn't been classmates. We had been something else. Not ninjas hiding their emotions like Shisui-Nii told me that was supposed to be in a fight. Rather like... data... Mere data you could ignore in front of the bigger constants. Something you could erase...

I felt so wrong. Maybe I wanted to cry or something else. I was feeling something out of this cold and somewhat empty anger. My eyes remained dry as I obediently followed Mikoto-Sama and my brother to the bathroom.

And Sasuke was punished. Again.

* * *

><p><em>Before you start complaining in the comments, know that this side of Kagerou was planned for a while. Because her brother was in pain, he just saw her fignting on his behalf (so just her pushing Sasuke twice and immobilize him). The only one who saw her detached face was Sasuke (and Aoï-Sensei but he didn't noticed it). <em>

_Maybe you should revise your view of my little baby._

_See you soon !_


	23. Manicheism

_Hey ! I'm finally back from my weekend. I would have published some chapters but I didn't have any computer where I was so...  
><em>

_Anyway to apologize, I (tried) did a drawing for this story that I posted on my deviantart account (second deviation ever, yay !). So if you want to take a look at it, check out ryoushi-nin on this site and give me your comments._

_I'm rather dissatisfied with this chapter. Even if Kagerou does reflect about her actions, I don't know... I feel like there is comething I'm missing. Or she is just getting on my nerves which might, or not, be a good thing._

_Thanks to everyone who have left a comment ^^ And enjoy your chapter._

* * *

><p><strong>Manicheism<strong>

Was I a good person ? Did I do the right thing ?

I still felt numb as Mikoto-Sama was cleaning the blood that stayed on Naruto's face. He had cried. He usually tries not to do so, acting like a strong brother around me. But when I saw the tears and the blood, I just acted. At first it was raw anger, I felt hot and burning, just wanting to get revenge on the one who hit my precious brother. Then my reflexion came back in front. I still was bloodthirsty, but my mind accepted it and gave me the possibilities. Logic was Sasuke was to be dealt with, not only did he hinder me on a regular basis, but he also went violently against my brother. It was up to me to clear the situation : after all I was the main reason all of this started.

This thoughts actually frightened me. I had done what Shisui-Nii told me a ninja did : I had pushed my feelings aside to get to the results. I wasn't so sure it was a good thing anymore, for I ignored where my limits were. I could have done something very wrong to Sasuke-San, and even if I didn't like him, there was no reason to go that far.

I heard someone walking in the patio and wondered who it could be. It sounded like someone used to the ninja arts, the footsteps were fast and light at the same time. But if I was hearing it, it surely meant the person was used to this walls. Without my knowledge, my body had tensed. I looked at Mikoto-Sama, but she simply smiled to me, her hand glowing green near my brother's nose.

"Nii-San !" Sasuke-San exclaimed.

I remember hearing about the firstborn of the Uchiha family being a prodigy. Maybe he was Shisui-Nii's special person. Well he might not be the one, as their clan was full of talented ninja.

"Why are you sitting in seiza in the corridor, Sasuke ?" a soft and masculine voice asked, amused.

I couldn't help noticing the strain in the voice. That guy sounded just like Onii-Chan when he just had a tiring mission. He was trying to hide it, but I heard it anyway. I was good at that, after all, both Shisui-Nii and Naruto had that patronizing habit with me. I never said anything, but I knew when they lied or hide something from me.

"Okaa-San punished me." Sasuke pouted.

"What did you do, this time ?" the man sighed.

"You know that girl I like, Kagome-Chan ? She went to our house today with that pretty yukata and all, but her brother was there too. He told me I was bothering her, and that was so not true. Then she got angry with us and he decided to bring her home. I said no, and then we were fighting and I punched his face. And then she was like, so fast and all, she pinned me down on the floor. Then Okaa-San saw him crying and bleeding and assumed it was my fault. They are the ones who did everything and I am the one who gets punished. That's so unfair !"

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth at this twisted version of reality. He was blaming us. I felt boiling.

"Is that really how it happened? " his brother mused.

"Yes of course ! I'm no liar !" Sasuke-San protested and even I could hear how convinced he was of his lie.

"Would you like me to ask Okaa-San to revise her judgement ?" his brother asked.

The older boy knew his little brother was lying right in front of him. And Sasuke was still giving the same story, the one where he was a tragic hero. The one where he looked like everything went wrong because of my brother.

"Here you go, Naruto-Kun !" Mikoto-Sama said. "As good as new !"

"Did you see how awesome she was ?" my brother asked me and I stopped eavesdropping.

"Yeah, I did..." I mechanically answered.

"Is there something wrong, Kagerou-Chan ?" she asked.

Yes, there was. On the one hand Sasuke-San was blaming the whole thing on my brother. On the other hand I was the cause of their quarrel, and I did attack the boy myself. I too was to blame in the story. Actually, I kinda wanted to be blamed, for I felt these feelings inside me were wrong.

Guidance. That was what I was looking for. But I didn't know how to ask for it.

"Did I do the right thing ?" I asked.

"The right thing about what ?"

"The boys were fighting, so I fought Sasuke-San too. Because he made my brother cry."

"I was not !" Naruto protested.

I was about to talk again, but I couldn't do it n front of y brother. Because it would mean going against him. In reality, Sasuke-San did bother me because he was always trying to impress me. And now I understood who was the one he really was trying to impress : it was his brother. It was a weird logic, because that person and I were probably very different. But could I know what reasons made Sasuke-San like me ? I couldn't even say why I appreciated Shisui-Nii's company, and he had been far more annoying than his little cousin.

"Protecting those you like is a good thing." Mikoto-Sama said. "Don't think you're a bad person because of that. They are good people and bad people. You are a good person, a very good one. It's normal to do mistakes when you are young. You should learn from this"

I wanted to protest. The world wasn't just made of good and bad people. Most of the time, people were grey. Some were just more darker than others because they followed their own desires instead of thinking how it could affect others. It wasn't possible not to be tainted by the world we lived in.

Then I understood what Mikoto-Sama was trying to do. She was easing the angles of the reality, she put a sugar coat around it. Maybe someone naïve like my brother could rely on these words. I couldn't, for I already knew how grey we were in these grey world.

"Does protecting those you like mean you can lie to them, to keep them safe ?" I asked.

I saw a curious expression on Mikoto-Sama's face and she said :

"You do resemble Itachi."

* * *

><p><em>What bothers me the most here, is I can't find a proper ending to this chapter.<br>_

_Anyway, don't forget to leave a comment, I always enjoy having some !_


	24. Escort

_Hey people !_

_I know only a few of you review fanfics, but I can see all the people that follows me. It warms my heart :D_

* * *

><p><strong>Escort<strong>

I can't really say how it happened, but we found ourselves invited to dinner at the Uchiha's. It felt really awkward. First, Naruto and Sasuke-San couldn't stop glaring at each other, and it was really hard to grip my brother's obi every time he tried to jump at his rival. Second, the clan head didn't look happy at all. Mikoto-Sama could pretend he was just grumpy all she wanted, I felt the scary aura around him. Well he could be annoyed by the boys, it sounded logical. Third, I sat directly next to Uchiha Itachi-Dono and it felt very uncomfortable. As if he was testing me. I had no idea what he was looking for, though.

But now that I was near to him, I was almost sure he was that ghost following Sasuke-San the other day. Of course his features also matched those of the teen I saw with Shisui-Nii once. I couldn't find any resemblance between us. How Mikoto-Sama and Onii-Chan felt I was somehow like me was beyond my comprehension.

And my mind was more focused on the pain in my arm. Naruto was almost jumpy, and neither him nor his opponent were aware of the storm coming for them.

Fortunately Uchiha-Sama was surely used to worse as he worked in the Konoha Police Department. He remained apparently calm, even if he didn't utter a word.

"It's getting dark, you should stay here." Mikoto-Sama suggested.

"Can Kagome-Chan sleep in my room ?" Sasuke-San innocently asked.

"No way in hell ! My sister and I will not stay here !" my brother yelled.

"Forgive his rudeness," I apologized on his behalf "But I do think we should go home. Our presence has already disturbed... the peacefulness of this house."

Politeness was the key. I had to be as polite as possible. I too was affected by the atmosphere. But even if I ignored the loud boys, I could feel the tension in here. Fugaku-Sama wasn't only angry at them, he just pretended to be. Mikoto-Sama was so cheery it was almost mushy and sickening. And Itachi-san was so silent... Something felt wrong in that household. Who was the showing-off for ? For us ? What could be the reason ?

And more important : why had everybody given up on telling Sasuke-San what my real name was ?

"I'll escort them back." Itachi-Dono said.

"Aren't you so kind my son ?" Mikoto cooed.

And we were off. As we departed, Sasuke-San hugged me for no reason. I pushed him back rudely. No one was to touch me with such intimacy, especially not him. Or maybe it was to hear from his mother that we were "so cute together". Anyway it made his brother slightly smile and mine cringe. Maybe that was it.

I had my hand in Itachi-Dono's, and so did Naruto. We walked that way until we left the compound. I pulled out of his hold right after we were out.

"She's not very fond of human contact." Naruto explained him.

"I noticed that." the teenager replied. "So you're Kagome, right ?"

"It's Kagerou. Your brother never listens when I correct him." I sighed.

I didn't really want to talk right now. I was still troubled with what I had done today, and still unsure what lesson I had learnt. Furthermore I didn't know how to deal with Itachi-Dono. He was the reason Onii-Chan was often depressed. It didn't please me at all.

The way home wasn't that long and Naruto went inside the apartment, without even whishing the ninja well. I bowed to him and was about to turn back when he simply ordered me to stay. Just one word. One injunction that made my body stop. I looked at him, I didn't trust him.

"Shisui trains you well." he said.

"Is that why you've asked me to stay behind ?" I asked with an acid voice.

"Aggressiveness isn't how a ninja should be."

"Why should I act like one ? I'm home."

"Then why are you so tense ?"

I hadn't really noticed how my body was ready to put up a defence. The way I was standing, I only needed to protect my stomach and my face with my arms.

Why I was so tense ? Because I just spend the night in a cheesy lie. I _felt_ it. Like some kind of weird buzz in their chakra. But it wasn't just that. I had felt that before. It was around my brother, when Uchiha were around, it seemed like their revulsion towards him was way more personal than the aimless hatred of the other villagers. I had felt him around Shisui-Nii too. Now that I was thinking of it, he was reproaching something to my brother.

"What are you all hiding ?" I asked. "There is some big secret lying there."

"Aren't you a smart girl ?" he mused. "But I suppose you would detect it if you were able to isolate my chakra signature so well. Twice."

I didn't bought the compliment. There was something he didn't want me to know.

"I don't like the way you're talking to me. You're trying to get something from me, and I don't do favours to strangers. Especially when your behaviour hurts the people I like."

I saw the phantom of a smile shining briefly in his onyx eyes. I didn't like the way he was looking at me, analysing me. That look was exactly the one I had on front of Sasuke-San earlier, the one I usually have when calculating a trajectory or my next move. So inhuman. It felt wrong.

"I could say the same to you. Naruto-Kun isn't much of a threat for my brother. You are. And I'll protect him."

I felt the threat in his voice. He knew. He knew what I had done. I trembled.

"I'm... I'm sorry about Sasuke-San. I didn't mean to..."

"I know, I heard what you told Okaa-san. Furthermore I understand how it feels."

He kneeled in front of me. My vision was blurry and my face wet. I was... crying ?

"You're afraid of yourself and what you could possibly do to others, right now. You have to calm down and think clearly, girl. Life is really hard, and you'll have to sacrifice lots of things to protect those you love." he said.

"I could have gone so far, doing many bad things to Sasuke-San. But I know neither he nor my brother are bad people."

"What matters is that you know where the limits are. It doesn't matter if you place them yourself or if someone else does. There are boundaries you should not cross."

"What happens if you do so ? What will happen when I'm in a mission, and when I'll think of my opponents as mere data again ?" I asked.

"Do you think your loved ones are real people ?"

Of course I did What kind of monster would I be otherwise ? He might have read the answer in my eyes because he said :

"Never dehumanise them, that's the worst thing you could do ?"

And then he was gone. Without answering me about what they were hiding. He sure was skilled for a shinobi.

Wait a minute... Did he ever think of his peers as if they were not human ? I felt a chill in my spine and quickly locked me inside. I wiped my face. Naruto was totally unaware of what was happening. I had to prepare myself.

Something was coming. Something big.

* * *

><p><em>Finally I had them meet. And why did Kagerou decided to do what she wanted again ? Nevermind that, my baby is still so great.<em>

_Ok, I'll admit Sasuke is a bit OOC, but I thought he could behave that way before the massacre. Oh poor innocent souls, I'm going to crush so many of you in this story..._


	25. Dreams

**Dreams**

I never got to see Uchiha-Dono again. Part of that was that Sasuke-San didn't try to invite me anymore. I remarked that looking straight at him with empty eyes reminded him of how easily I had thrown him on the floor, and that no one had been there to stop me. It was really nice not to have him so close to me. Like a bowl of fresh air.

But I missed him anyway. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt so lonely now. Naruto was sure he wouldn't come near me, so he started skipping classes again. And I was still studying. Sometimes I would know Sakura-Chan had her eyes on me and I would look at her. She would ignore me as always. Life sure was hard.

And Aoi-Sensei was still trying to hurt me all the way he could.

I wondered what could bring happiness to people.

One day we were ask to dissert on what we wanted to do later in our life. Naruto wanted to be Hokage, and that everyone respected him. I wanted to help him realize his dream. His smile had always been my little bubbles of joy.

"What did you say you wanted to be ?" Naruto asked me.

He saw how blank my sheet of paper was. Apart from my brother, I had nothing. I liked learning things, but I was stuck in that classroom with so slow people. I wanted to learn and learn more. My little bubble of comfort was full of calculable things.

"Don't you want to be a ninja ?"

"No." the answer fused.

That was the truth.

I knew I had great talents, and that Shisui-Nii told me I could do many things. He told me I could aim to be a hunter, the kind of ninja that chases bad guys. A hero of some sort. Or I could be a regular Chuunin, going to missions and completing them. But I would do it only to gain money, not to achieve something.

I didn't want to be in the light. It didn't suit me. Because light involved people, and they scared me as much as Naruto wanted to get their recognition.

All in all I had no dream.

"But you're so good in class. And you kick asses in combat."

That is only when I am motivated. Fighting was a solution to some problems, I reckoned, but I didn't like to do so. Because I had to limit myself. It was as Uchiha-Dono said. I could do whatever I wanted as long as I didn't see my important people as an assemblage of figures. If I really wanted to perform in class, I would have to fight like Shisui-Nii taught me. I wasn't sure how well the other people would be able to stop me.

Because I had troubles stopping by myself once I started calculating every move.

Sasuke-San had been very lucky that day.

"I'm not that good. And would you like it if I skipped classes ?" I asked my brother.

"I would let you do everything you want as long as you like it !"

"Thanks, bro. But I only want to help you become Hokage."

I saw his eyes shine with joy. Then he pouted and grumbled something and I knew he was reflecting really hard.

"That's not right. I don't want to have a dream and not you. My sister should be as awesome as I am when I will be Hokage. I thought of "kickass ninja" but you don't seem to like that."

"I like learning, I don't want to be a ninja." I sighed.

"That's boring !" he whined.

"You're boring ! You only want to be Hokage to prove you're the strongest person ever !"

"You're even more boring, you like to make strange drawings that explode !"

"That's seals ! It's the best thing ever, but you're so thick you'll never understand it !" I yelled.

We ended up at the opposed rooms in the apartment. Seals weren't boring at all. They were a mystery I still had to resolve.

I looked at my sheet. What should I write down ? All the other children were probably writing about their adventures as a ninja. My only goal was to protect the people I liked. Shisui-Nii and Naruto. And maybe even Sakura-Chan and Sasuke-San, because they were nice even if they were annoying at times.

But a dream was supposed to be what I liked, not only what I wanted. And Naruto made me remember I liked to solve mysteries. Maybe I should enter the Police Department. Somehow it didn't feel like I wanted to do. Then how about a desk job like deciphering codes ? It was nothing but calculus, and didn't involve being in the light.

No I wanted to do something that mattered. I wanted my brother to be proud of me. Like he said, I should be as awesome as him when he will be Hokage.

Then I took my pen and traced the kanji. I had my idea. Something like that would be really cool. I went up as I finished, put my homework into my notebook and went to Naruto. He was still pouting and turning his back on me. I hugged him anyway.

"You may be the most troublesome brother ever, I love you the most." I muttered.

"So, what do you want to be ?"

"A sealmaster." I said.

He deadpanned.

"A what ?"

"I'll be inventing seals to ease people's life."

"Boooooriiing !" he teased me.

My brother is such an idiot !

My lovely idiot.


	26. How to survive

_Hello fidèle readers ! How are you doing today ?_

_I'm happy people are still liking fanfictions about the Naruto fandom when the main manga has just stopped. Damn, I can't wait till the movie is out and subbed. 3_

_Anyway, thanks for following, favoriting and reviewing this fic (even if there is only a few of you doing this)_

_Enjoy your chapter !_

* * *

><p><strong>How to survive<strong>

"Good ! Very good !" Shisui-Nii praised me as I was panting on the ground.

We had just finished our daily routine made of basic exercises. Most of them were Academy style, but others were very different. Onii-Chan had drilled me so much I had to recover from it. He didn't give me much time though. As if I was another kid trained in the Uchiha clan, he was merciless. During these times together, he was a heartless instructor. I only found him back when I succeeded. It was a very good motivation.

"You're getting very good at this, Kagerou-Chan ! How come you don't perform that well in class."

"Taijutsu in class isn't the same. I mean... I can do what they ask me, but it doesn't suit me at all." I explained.

"I reckon the fighting stances and the way you're being taught isn't what you need. Most girls are too short or fragile for it. But you're allowed to use your own moves whenever you fight a classmate, don't you ?"

I blushed and looked away. That was part of the problem.

"Last time I tried the teacher had to stop me."

"Well I did taught you how to stand on your own, more in real situations than in class. But you have to know when to stop."

"I wouldn't have hurt them that much !" I protested. "Plus I prefer using my brain more than my fists."

"Frightening humans isn't the same as making a wolf flee. You won't get very far with that. When you graduate you'll become a Genin. And that lean you'll have to fight against adults and other ninjas. You might be smart and hard working, you won't have a second chance. You lose, you die. That's the reality you'll live in."

He was right. Most of my classmates still thought as ninja as heroic fighters and lifesavers. They didn't know about the blood, betrayal and blackness behind. Shisui-Nii told me about it when I asked why he always went home smelling of sweat and blood. The more he told me about it, the less I wanted to become a ninja. I had never chosen to enter the Academy, someone enrolled my brother and I.

These subjects were part of what Onii-Chan refused to tell me. There was a big secret there. He knew I knew he was hiding something. But he wouldn't talk. Instead he would teach me survival. He always told me how important that was in our world. He was always dreaming of a more peaceful system, but thought it was more an utopia than a reachable goal.

"Today I'll taught you what made me famous and feared in the ninja world."

"You said I couldn't learn you Dôjutsu, for I didn't belong to your clan."

"That may be true, but that's not how I gained my nickname."

I titled my head on the side. I wasn't aware of what an enemy ninja could call him. Nothing in my head sounded rather threatening.

"Girl, don't tell me you still haven't taken a look to a Bingo Book ?"

"A what ?"

"A Bingo Book is where the info about the enemy ninja are edited. I'm famously known as 'Shunshin no Shisui', cool right ?"

I repeated that name, making it roll on my tongue. I liked the sonority of it. But I still didn't know what a Shunshin was, nor how dangerous that was.

"You're really good at hiding. And you know how to find people. Now, say you want to sneak up on them."

I nodded, expecting all the fun an knowledge that was to come.

"Now if you focus only a little chakra inside your whole body and give an impulsion..."

He disappeared. I couldn't see him anymore. I thought I sensed a slight gush of air near me, but he wasn't there. He reappeared almost instantaneously behind my back and pushed my dead.

"... and you would be dead." he finished.

"That's not fair ! You're already a trained ninja !"

"And you should have been able to sense me. But as always you just shot your ability down."

"But it's tiring ! And sometimes it makes my head spin."

"First that's good for practice, and second you'll be able to protect yourself. You won't always be protected."

"But I'm in Konoha, and I'm with you. I know I don't trust people, but I'm not that suspicious of them."

Sometimes I wondered why Shisui-Nii had picked me. Why did he absolutely wanted to share his knowledge with an orphan girl from another clan ? Why would he teach me how to survive in real situations, when these events would never happen before a long time ? It was in these moments I guessed there was something fishy about all this.

But Onii-Chan knew how to make me forget about this doubts like no one else.

"So what do you think I did ?" he asked.

"A teleportation jutsu !" I beamed.

"Not quite. I just moved a few feet at high speed."

"You mean you can control the speed and the length of your displacement with the quantity of chakra you put in the beginning ?"

"Basically, yes."

I immediately started calculating. It would require a few experiments but...

"Kagerou-Chan, please listen to me. If you use your chakra recklessly you'll get hurt ! Remember what happened with your water walking."

"I was just testing the resistance of water." I protested.

"And you were thrown away and nearly drown yourself in the lake. If you do the wrong thing here, you might make your cells explode !"

"That's not a problem, I'll heal anyway." I dismissed it.

His eyes glinted with anger and I blushed. I shouldn't talk like that. He had the right to worry about me. Fine, I'll test everything on my own.

"You're thinking of doing something rash again." he groaned.

"... no..." I said.

"Kagerou-Chan, I already told you I knew when you were lying."

"But I want to understand how the technique works."

"One step at a time, one step. Start by mastering the jutsu I'm trying to teach you, then you'll be able to optimise it."

I accepted with reluctance. He was hard to fool, and I knew he wouldn't change his mind. I went back to work. In fact dispensing my chakra in my whole body was somehow easier than channelling it into the sole of my feet. The only difference was that I had to chase the energy out of my body at a great speed to make y move. He also taught me that some ninja used elementals to hide their displacement. It attracted the eye of the people by reflex so that they would not search for the user immediately and give an overture.

"Why are you teaching me all this ?" I asked like every time we trained together.

"Because you're a smart girl that needs to fill her brain with interesting stuff, right ?"

His answer was always the same. It never satisfied me. And it made me wonder why I was the one who was picked ? Why me, when my brother had an evil and red chakra around him at nights ? I had nothing special. I was just too smart for my age.

Who would be interested in smart kids these days ?

* * *

><p><em>So, why do you think Shisui chose Kagerou ? Is this only because she and Itachi are alike or is there something else like she suspects ?<em>

_And is that good that Shisui trains her that much. Won't he expose her more to the dangers he tries to protect her from ?_

_Give me your thoughts in the reviews ;)_


	27. Looking for answers

_This chapter... was so nice to write. It is so long ! Actually Kagerou did all she wanted (and so did Itachi), I'm starting to think I can't control my characters._

_Thanks for all your support !_

* * *

><p><strong>Looking for answers<strong>

Pressure. Always pressure. I couldn't bear it anymore. Naruto was crossed with me because I told him he should study more if he wanted to even get a hit on Sasuke-San. He told me I was the one unfair, because I wasn't teaching him what I learnt like I used to be. He told me I was so occupied with my researches about seals and my training with Shisui-Nii that I didn't take time for him anymore.

Only because I had won last time we sparred together.

I wanted to be stronger. There was such an urge. I could almost feel it in the air. That buzzing feeling I had sensed back then in the Uchiha compound. The months had passed, and I could see Onii-Chan getting more and more stressed. And I needed to get these answers.

The problem was that the only one who could give them to me willingly seemed to be Uchiha-Dono. He understood clearly what I needed, what I wanted. Both of us cared deeply about our brothers. We wanted to help them grow the right way and protect them at the same time.

My instincts were telling me my brother was in danger. Sooner or later, something would happen. I was sure it involved the Uchiha clan and my brother. What was the link between the two, I ignored it.

I wanted these answers, so I had to catch Uchiha-Dono. To do that I had to get better at detecting chakra and being able to catch him discretely. I needed those answers to know how to protect my brother. And I was also secretly hoping that Naruto would understand why I had acted that way. There was a gap opening between us, and I wanted to close it as soon as possible. Because it hurt.

Months went by and I felt I hadn't had enough time. Autumn left place to winter and the snow was spoiling everything ! At least I had taken the advice Onii-Chan gave me, and kept my sensors active at all time. I could feel the presence of all the ninja around me, and even some civilians. My range had widened, but it still felt like Uchiha-Dono was impossible to be found.

And apparently I wasn't the only one knowing about that. His disappearance was tiring Onii-Chan. He tried to hide it, but I could feel his chakra flutter in his body, and I would know he was concealing his emotions. He was crushed by worries.

My suspicions about my brother were one thing. But breaking Shisui-Nii's heart was unforgivable. I wouldn't let that pass. I looked and looked again, draining my chakra in my sensory jutsu. I even collapsed in class a few times because of him. Naruto told me I should see a doctor : I was pale, quivering and often nose bleeding. He wanted me to stop whatever was taking such a big toll on me.

I had been able to sense Uchiha-Dono's chakra signature only because he had been close and because I had been focusing on him. Looking for him inside the whole population of a ninja village was an impossible task. Even though I could now guess the rank of the people with its reserves, some of them were so good at hiding I could spend much time looking for him in an army of ghosts.

Per chance, I happened to 'spot' him in all the 'lights' of chakra around me one day in class. I used the pause to flee from school, pretending I was too sick to attend anymore. My acting was very bad, though I looked so much like a mop that even that jerk of Aoi-Sensei was unable to stop me.

It was cold outside, I could feel it seeping through my clothes. It chilled me to the bone. My body was trembling as I used chakra to increase my speed and not crunching the snow. Snow walking was rather similar to water walking, but it felt hard not to use too much of my chakra to stay undetected. I was about sure I wouldn't be able to catch Uchiha-Dono if he detected me.

That's when I felt the people, all these people. Ninjas I had never spotted before. They didn't exist before I entered this neighbourhood, though they were here. I looked everywhere but there was no one in the streets. I had never sensed any of them before, I was sure of it. And among them was Uchiha-Dono. What was he doing there ?

I didn't care, I wanted answers.

But how could I go to him ?

Then I noticed the passageway connected to the sewers. I just had the time to hide behind a wall of a near building before I saw two masked people going out of there. I immediately ran, enhancing my body with chakra impulsions. Though I kept a steady amount of energy circulating in my body to blend in.

Then I found myself inside the building foundations. There was a wide space. The only way to got to the other side was the bridge. I hid myself de best I could, stopping my chakra flux and calming my breathing and heartbeat. They weren't visible, but I sensed the ninjas I had never met dissimulated near big overtures. This place made me think of an underground fortress.

Why would there be such a place in Konoha ? And these people that shouldn't exist, why were they here ? Their chakra definitely was from round here, but their signature was foreign to me. Somehow, the faint feeling I had of Uchiha-Dono had the same accents of another person. That was impossible : I had been taught, and experimented, that everybody had a different signature. And somehow a small part of his chakra was the same of the one standing near him. In fact it was that part I could sense the clearer from his signature. As always the rest of his being was a ghost.

No. It was different. All his chakra seemed like excited. How ? By what ? How could I tell ? I didn't know a single thing about this.

And they were moving in my direction. Well Uchiha-Dono and another person. I risked a look in their way. I saw an elder man walking on the bridge near a masked man. A cat masked AANBU. I was positive it was Itachi. Now that he was near I could feel the calm hum of his chakra. I closed my eyes and put my hand around my ears, hoping to catch what they were talking about.

"Now we can be sure where your loyalty lies." said the crippled guy.

"Danzo-Sama, you know I would have..." Itachi groaned and I felt the pain in him.

"I know you'd only bring new negotiations. This will not do for the village."

"Hokage-Sama said the choice was up to me ! You're forcing me to..."

I could feel his chakra jolt in his body. The other chakra in him made like a net that strangled him. Worry and fear almost made lose my focus. His head slightly move in my direction and I froze.

"Let's say I'll help you make the better choice for Konoha." Danzo announced.

He walked away as Uchiha-Dono stood up with difficulty. I slowly move towards the exit, trying t stay undetected. I managed to reach the entrance of the exit tunnel and started to use a shunshin to get out of here. I felt something from behind and curled my body onto a ball, waiting for the hit to come.

A gloved hand gripped my neck like a mother cat would take her kittens and I flew in the air at high speed. I wanted to loosen the hold of these fingers that dug into my flesh so easily. I couldn't reach. The air suddenly was fresher as we went outside. My feet only touched the ground to help us run. I heard his breath, hot and bothered behind his mask.

I knew it was Uchiha-Dono taking me in a secure place but... I was afraid. So, so afraid.

He dropped me with brutality on the ground. I drew back a bit but his hands gripped my clothes to get me closer to his wooden face.

"How idiotic are you ? You could have been killed !"

"What is happening ? Shisui-Nii is depressed and anxious, and all your clan is looking at my brother like... like..." I shrieked before breaking into sobs.

He let me go, and patted my head gently. He was hesitant. As if he didn't know what to do.

"Shisui made his job perfectly. More than that." he said.

"What do you mean ?"

"He was supposed to teach you how to protect yourself. And to continue distrusting everyone. It would have protected you and your brother. But you had to be that smart !" he sulked.

Even when he was angry, a part of him remained calm. Like calculating the next move.

"I want to understand. I can't know what to do if everyone is hiding everything from me. If you love your brother as much as I love mine, you know how far I'm able to go." I said still crying.

Uchiha-Dono stopped.

"I shouldn't have underestimated you." he reckon.

"Now tell me what I want to know."

"I doubt you're in a position to make demands, Uzumaki Kagerou."

"Then you know I won't stop until I'm satisfied. I'll chase you to get my answers."

"That might be too hard, even for you." he gently mocked.

I sighed. He wouldn't talk. Even if he acknowledged me as a worthy kunoïchi in training, I was nothing to him. Why should he care ? I, on the other hand, cared for him. Because his happiness mattered to Onii-Chan.

Then I felt the chakra that wasn't his own constricting inside of him, and he hissed in pain.

I looked at him, worried. Was he hurt badly ?

"Don't look at me with these eyes." he ordered nicely. "You shouldn't care about me. Rather concern with your own security you compromised by infiltrating the Root headquarters."

"I want to help." I said.

"I won't give you any answers."

Rather other questions. Tons and tons of questions.

But I did want to help him. For real.

"I really want to help you. Is there anything I could do."

He sighed.

"I don't want to put this on your shoulders. That would be selfish and unfair to you." he said. "You want to help your brother. The don't worry, I'll deal with that and I don't need to be any more troubled in this task. Tonight had been hard enough."

"Is the other chakra in you hurting you ?" I asked.

"You can feel it. I should have guessed that."

"I mean, Naruto also has another chakra that isn't his that goes out of him sometimes." I said. "I know it hurts when I touch it, but I can resist. So maybe I can help you like that."

He stayed thoughtful a long time.

"Hum, excuse me ?" I called.

"Sorry, it's just that you already know so much and so little at the same time I don't know what to do. You really are eager to help me."

"More than before, now that you said you'll take care about the thing that treatens my brother. You may not want me to know about it, but if you're willing to help us, it is enough for me."

"Are you telling me that you have faith in me ?"

"Yes. You're almost a friend to me."

There was no need to explain. It was only natural. Shisui-Nii trusted him with all his heart. Sasuke-San admired him. Everything I had learnt about him only was to show his talents. And he wasn't lying when he said he would help us. He would help the Uzumaki orphan. He reached a hand not only to me, but to the demon child.

"Then will you do me a favour ?" he asked.

"Is that what you thought too selfish to ask from me ?"

"Friends are like that." he joked sarcastically.

"What do you want me to do ?"

He sighed.

"Sooner than what you think, something terrible will happen. I will make sure nothing harms your brother, so don't panic. But after that, I'll need to go away for a while. During that time, I want you to keep an eye on Sasuke. He likes you, and you're not against his presence."

"That's not entirely true. He is annoying."

"I can assure you that he will change after I'm gone."

"How long ?"

"I can't tell. During that time, promise-me you'll help him."

"But, if only you'd tell me what is about to happen, you'll..."

"It's better if you don't get involved that much, Kagerou. You'll be already a great help if you consent to do me this favour."

Sasuke-San wasn't my best friend, even if he had claimed he wanted to be. Personally I appreciated him. He wasn't smart like Sakura-Chan, nor did he made me at ease like Shisui-Nii did. But he was okay to stay with, I guessed. And Itachi didn't asked me to befriend him. Only to be there for him. I could do that.

"You help my brother and I'll help yours." I proposed. "Deal ?"

"Deal ?"

"Pinky promise ?"

I sincerely thought he was about to grin or something, but I couldn't tell because of the mask. He extended a finger and I took it with mine.

"Still not considering what makes you so miserable, and makes Onii-Chan worry ?" I asked a last time.

"There is no use trying."

"I won't stop looking for answers you know. I may be seven, I'm not to be taken lightly."

"I can see that, Uzumaki Kagerou, the girl who befriends a man she barely knows."

I blushed and looked away.

"I can't really explain why, but I do trust you."

"I thought Shisui told you not to do that kind of things."

"I think he won't be against it. So, do you want to be my friend ?" I asked.

He never answer the handshake I suggested. Instead he did what he should have been the logical way He brought me home in a simple motion.

"Good night, Uzumaki Kagerou. We might not see each other again soon."

He disappeared in the night.

Did he really think he could fly away with my answers like that ? I'm not someone who gives up. Uchiha-Dono, I swear I'll find you and you'll give me the answers I've been looking for.

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><p><em>I don't really know what to think of this new relationship. Actually I had anticipated it, but I hadn't in mind what exactly was going to happen. <em>

_Special note : yes what Itachi is preventing Kagerou about is the Uchiha Coup d'Etat. It concerns her brother because he is the vessel of Kyuubi, so he remains a useful weapon to those who are accused to be able to control Bijuu with their eyes._

_See ya !_


	28. Snow

_Mea culpa, there was supposed to be an update yesterday. Either I forgot to post it or this website is playing tricks on me. Sorry. So this is a double update.  
><em>

_My answers to the lovely reader who posted nine reviews in a few hours._

_I started reading Kimi no Iru Machi (I forgot where I stopped the scanslation, I didn't go that far in the manga, though). Indeed, I can do a more complex pairing with Kagerou. But to do that I'll have to wait until she is old enough to have this kind of relationship. Not that kids can't fall in love, but it's different._

_But you gave me a nice idea and I wonder how I will use it on the story._

_About this story, I don't want to be too dark, but I don't want it to be too optimistic. I want to be somewhere in the middle. Nothing will be very easy, and nothing will go very wrong in general. Kagerou will suffer intense experiences as well as she will taste happiness. It's a story about how a person grows, and copes with real life._

_You're very accurate about the future relationship about Kagerou and Naruto. Indeed he will play under the sun, when she will do her part under the moon. They are the two faces of the same coin. He has the ideals and conviction, she uses the right means to get things done. Kagerou will be darker than him (though that's not hard). It's that way of life that the Uchiha saw in her and thought she looked like Itachi._

_What she will do about Sasuke hurting her brother, later in the story ? Can't tell. It would spoil you all the fun ! ^^_

_You're very close to my idea to link Kagerou and Itachi. But I can't talk about that either. Sorry :P_

_And Kagome is the way Sasuke wants to call Kagerou, because he decided to do so. Actually it went like that in my head, and I can't decide if Sasuke preMassacre! is really dumb, only want to listen to his own little paradize where his brother and the girl he likes are the nicest to him, or if he does that to tease her. And Kagerou is a really fun person to tease. Well, not too long or she would unleash the tiger. And people probably gave up because he doesn't want to listen._

_I can't really explin why Shisui chose Kagerou without telling what's coming next. Let's face the trth : if Naruto and her weren't protected by ANBU protection, they would have long been abducted by Danzo. Shisui is teacher her how to protect herself and her brother because they have no one to protect them. In the end, they are just kids Konoha wants to make weapons of. And they will succeed f no one helps them. That is the reason why the twins enrolled in the Academy whereas no one had asked if they wanted to become ninjas._

_You're wrong on one thing, though : Kagerou isn't a Jinchuuriki. I will probably have to explain that later, but she isn't. That's why people pity her more than they bully her._

* * *

><p><strong>Snow<strong>

I pressed my had even further against the window. Condensation of my breaths had made the glass opaque and I had to sweep it every other minute. Damn that cold air outside.

"Watcha doing ?" my brother asked from the living room, as I was standing on the kitchen counter.

"Naruto, I'm trying to focus there !"I whispered angrily.

Like everytime I was trying to do things on my own, he would dash by my side. Reluctantly, I left him some place and continued spying the people outside.

"Still looking for your ghost man ?" Naruto asked.

"I told you, Uchiha-Dono is hiding things from me. It's not my fault if he's so strong."

"Stop talking like that about that guy, you sound like that bastard."

"I don't see why Sasuke-San couldn't be proud of his brother. I'm proud of mine."

I felt his hand squeezing mine, but I refused to stop looking outside. There was something playing there, and I was jealous. I could understand that Shisui-Nii would need some time for him, or that he needed to see Uchiha-Dono. Actually I considered stalking Onii-Chan until I found my bogeyman. And I found the horrid truth.

I found why Shisui-Nii had left me all alone during these months, why he didn't notice I was after his cousin. He was out of his mind. He was unfocused. And that was not my Onii-Chan at all.

At first I had accused Uchiha-Dono, for he was the one who had my answers. Then I decided thinking more about it. Shisui-Nii didn't have time for me, it couldn't be because of someone who was never in Konoha.

It was because of her.

"Hey, isn't that Shisui-Nii ?" Naruto exclaimed.

That was also why I didn't want my brother beside me at these times. I wouldn't be able to hide my discomfort from him. If I could sense when people were lying or being emotive, I tried to remain as inexpressive as I could. To Naruto I was an open book. There would be only a couple of minutes before...

"Did he just kissed that Nee-Chan he's holding hand with ?"

She as the reason behind Shisui-Nii's disappearance. He was supposed to stay by my side, to help me. Even he he had picked me for shady reasons I didn't know if, it still hurt. It hurt so deep. Sharing him with her ? No way ! They didn't asked if I would agree to that. She stole him from me and he got away. Further and further.

He was abandoning me.

That's what you get from liking people.

I grit my teeth. I jump down from the counter. No one steals anything from me !

"Where are you going ?" Naruto asked.

"Outside."

"Wait for me !"

The cold wind froze the tears that threatened to roll on my face. A pearl of ice slid down my cheek. I ignored it. I focused on the couple that was merrily holding hands in the street. A thick layer of snow crunched under our feet, sending white dust everywhere. I retightened my scarf around my neck while trying to avoid the crowd changing the streets in a muddy mush.

They were far away. Too far and I was losing them. They were going out of my detection range. I focused even more and my head spun. I tripped on the ground and my bother caught me before I fell.

"Listen to me, sis ! I told you there's nothing you can do."

"Onii-Chan is going with that girl. He is totally forgetting about me !"

Naruto pouted heavily.

"Do you think I forget about you when I'm skipping classes with Shikamaru and the others ? Do you think that will happen when Sakura-Chan becomes my lover."

"This can't happen !" I yelled.

"Right ! Now you do like I do when you're getting too far. You wait until you see him again and you tell him you're hurt."

"I mean... You and Sakura-Chan won't happen." I teased him.

"Kagerou !"

He was right, I was too impatient. It wasn't because he had this infatuation with whatever girl in the village that I would stop being his favourite little girl.

"And If you're alone, you can still run to me." Naruto said and I smiled to him.

Apart from Shisui-Nii, he was the only one I agreed to have physical contact with. His hand was incredibly hot in mine as he walked me to the newt park. I heard the cries of joy of kids before we saw them engaged in a snowball fight. I looked at my bother. His eyes were shining. He was eager to go. It couldn't be helped.

And it seemed fun.

We entered the battle area. And everyone stopped looking at me.

"That's the demon children !" a boy shouted.

"Everyone against them !" another voice answered.

"What did you say, asshole ?" Naruto growled

I hadn't had the time to get us out of here before the snowball started raining on us. I knew most of them were civilians given the throws. I started evading them with ease. Snow wasn't a good projectile, even compacted enough. They would need to make ice out of it. How could they hit me ? Shisui-Nii was way more accurate than they were, and he used shurikens.

They were too many. And I had to protect my brother. He was getting hit more than I was. Probably because they were told he was the most dangerous of us two. And the projectiles they sent him hit his face. I saw them hiding stones in it. Quickly I tried to find a bog enough stick to repel them.

"Naruto ! We have to get out of here !"

"No way, I have to beat these guys ?"

"Are you chickening out ? You're getting protected by a girl, baka !" someone provoked him.

Naruto lunged at him and started beating him the best he could. Others ganged up on him and forgot about me in their thirst for blood. There was no alternative. I had to fight. Against civilians. Unarmed, and untrained civilians. That was bad. All the Sensei had told us not to.

"No one will punish us for doing that to you !" a guy standing next to me shouted before throwing a fist at me.

He couldn't even graze me as I moved my torso backward. My hands moved by themselves and I gripped his collar and sent him flying in the snow.

"You bitch ! Even if you're a girl you will suffer the same as your demon brother !" one yelled.

"Bring it on." I answered. "You'll see what it cost you to touch my brother."

Everything was painfully clear. The way I swung my stick in the air, drawing blood from their faces when it connected. I could jump wherever I wanted and they wouldn't catch me. Sometimes I received a blow, and that was only because they outnumber us. And because most of them were about ten. I didn't care. They were endangering my brother's safety. They had to pay.

I almost lose control of myself, as my mind gave me more efficient ways to deal with them. Ways that involved using my exploding tag against them. That would be too mean to them. Even if they deserved it. They so deserved it. I had to restrain myself.

In a matter of minutes I had properly taken down half a dozen thugs. The others flew away, even the one sitting on my brother's stomach and hitting him roughly. I had troubles walking. My stick fell in the muddy snow. I looked at the red specks on the white coat. I felt disgusted with myself. It felt like a stain that wouldn't go away.

"Kagome..." Naruto gasped.

"I'm here !" I said. "Can you get up ?"

I lend him a shoulder and he limped by my side. Slowly, step by step, we went out of the park.

"Hey you two !" a voice shouted.

"Tch ! Not again !" I growled.

We hadn't had the time to make another move that the boy was near us. He looked like one of the people who just fled, but older, a teenager. And he was wearing a Konoha headband. He was a ninja. The real deal.

"No one beats up my brother !" he yelled.

"You want to get revenge ? What about your brother and his little gang did to us ?" I protested.

"I don't care. And eye for a tooth, cunt. I'll make sure you remember that !"

His knee connected with my stomach and I fell forward. Another hit made me fly away. I managed to land on my feet, but he was already there to hit me more. I lift my arms in front of my face, enduring the beating fairly well. I retaliated, but my strength was nothing against his. And even if I used my enhanced speed to get better targets, I felt the gap between the two of us.

I wasn't strong enough.

I could predict his hits all I wanted, I couldn't evade them. I could only prepare myself for the pain. And he wouldn't stop. I watched with detachment my body getting more and more limp as I was lying on the freezing ground, coughing blood.

Then he went away. I looked around, trying to reach Naruto. In what direction was he ? I couldn't tell my left from my right. I couldn't even sit up ! Nor talk !

Snowflakes fell on my face and melt. As if the sky itself was crying cold tears for the pitifully weak Uzumaki Kagerou.

* * *

><p><em>I talked too much in the introduction, right ?<em>

_Well this chapter was to show that Kagerou might be good in training, she has issues with being a ninja. She is clearly too emotive and not strong enough for the field. Even if she still has time to grow, she won't be an usual ninja._

_I'll leave you on this. After all I think I have already given you lots of details about the future, right ?_


	29. Waking up

_Hello everyone !_

You really liked these chapters before ! Cool ! It almost shame me to gove you this one that isn't good enough compared to what I produced the days before. Anyway thanks for reviewing, following, favoriting and so on...

_I should make Naruto stronger, but I don't know how for I want him to stay canon for now... He should be able to protect his siter a bit, right ?_

* * *

><p><strong>Waking up<strong>

I was in pain. My body was a whole bubble of pain. Everything, every move, every thought was a pain.

I opened my eyes and was welcomed by the darkness and the silence of the room. It was really dark. It wasn't right. At home I would always have some glow coming from the window, either the lights of the streets at night or the shining stars. There was nothing here. It didn't smell like home either. It was too clean. Hygienic clean. As if it had been bleached everywhere.

Where was I ? How did I get here ?

A memory emerged from the panic that struck me. A face wearing a Konoha headband. A boy. A teenager with a brown pigtail. He is hitting me and I can just resist and wait for it to stop. It looked like one of the many memories I had had of getting beaten.

A sob exploded in my throat. I heard its echo in the empty room. I was alone in this bed. I was never alone at night. When we were hurt by others, Naruto would always bring me home. But this time had been different. I thought I was strong enough to protect him. I couldn't even protect myself from a Genin.

My body was crying. I couldn't say which part of me was crying and for what reason. Was it because of the pain, the loneliness, the fright or the revenge I wanted to get ? I couldn't tell. I focused on the part that wasn't getting emotive. The one that was calculating, trying to understand. My own inner ninja part, as Shisui-Nii would call it.

My cries attracted a nurse in the room, and I looked at him. It was a boy about Uchiha-Dono's age. He flipped the interrupter on and light overwhelmed me. He had long grey hair and round glasses

"What's wrong, Uzumaki-San ? Do you need some assistance ?"

His hand approached me, and I immediately moved backwards. He wasn't to touch me so blatantly. Nobody was to touch me. Ever. Except for some of my friends, in rare occasions.

"I... I want my brother !"

I mentally scowled about the way I was stutturing and sobbing at the same time. It was pathetic.

"It's really late, Uzumaki-San. Plus your brother had to have medical assistance too."

Did that fucking Genin touched my brother who was already hurt ? I felt my anger boiling inside of me. I didn't only want revenge now. I was about to make him suffer more and more !

"And don't jolt that much, you might rip your stitches."

"Where am I ?"

"In the hospital. Where else would you be?"

I had no answer to that. I pouted while he hovered his hand with a green chakra glow above me. Instinctively I activated my sensor to analyse his energy.

Even though I've been countless times in the hospital with Naruto, I had never felt the chakra of this guy. In fact he felt just like these ninja that didn't exist in the building where I chased Uchiha-Dono a few months ago. My heartbeat sped up substantially. I thought he felt it through his soothing technique that made my pain manageable because I saw a metallic glint in his eyes and his smile widened.

It wasn't a nice smile at all.

Actually, now that I was thinking about it, hospital rooms were slightly different. The machines here seemed less recent. Plus he was young to act like a nurse using medical chakra. I thought it required lots of studies. Even if he had been a genius, that was unusual.

When did I thought that nobody could be interested in smart little girls ? I couldn't recall. This didn't seem like a normal hospital.

"I want my brother. Now !" I ordered and my voice was steady and calm.

The boy stopped what he was doing and looked at me.

"I don't really know what to do with you. You may be young, you're full of promises. I'd just like to know when the time would be right..."

"Right for what ?" I asked.

A shiver went up my back as his eyes locked on mine. Now I understood fully why I scared Sasuke-San so much. That day in his backyard, I had had the same look on my face. To that boy I was nothing but a creature he was about to dissect to see what makes it tick. That day I would have hit Sasuke just to see how well he reacted to pain and dread. Today it was my turn to be the guinea pig.

And the part of myself I had despised that day emerged. I wasn't different from an amount of data. I too could learn a lot by this experiment if he did it on myself. I tried to fight this madding urge to comprehend anything by analysing myself limb by limb. No, this was sick. This was insane. I was Kagerou Uzumaki, not just figures I could analyse.

But my mind was telling me to go that way. Even if it repulsed me, it seemed that the atmosphere had changed. The boy was watching me. Analysing me. And he enjoyed our alikeness.

I titled my head and looked at him. The length of his lock. Data. The thickness of his glasses. Data. The exact shade of his eyes in the artificial light. Data. The number of respirations he had for a minute. Data. The flow of his chakra. Data. I could estimate it all. Data. Data. Data.

"No... You'd be too much fun to watch."

He pinched my cheek and I flinched, forgetting the pain it would cause me.

"What a good girl you are. I hope we'll see each other again..."

He turned off the light and I batted my eyelids to adapt my vision. My eyes were stinging.

"If you survive the Root..."

And he was gone.

I curled myself inside the covers. The Root again ? Uchiha-Dono warned me about that, right ? I had been right then. I was in the building with the people that didn't exist. I didn't know where I was, nor what day we were. Ignorance was far from bliss. It was an annoyance. Knowledge was the key. Calculus was the way.

And I had to find my brother back. If I was here, maybe he was too. Unforgivable.

Though somewhere in my head, I wondered what would happen if I were to disappear. If I stayed in here, I would not exist anymore. And the shadows would be my realm. My own realm to protect those I loved.

Was it a good thing that it was the part of myself I hated the most that nourished that wonderful idea ?

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><p><em>The future is up to her now. What will she decide ? You'll know tomorrow.<br>_


	30. The offer

_I'm definitely more satisfied with this chapter than the one before :D  
><em>

_ : So yah Danzo noticed Kagerou now. She had been rather discreet before. Even if she has the better grades, he wouldn't be interrested in her because she isn't the Jinchuuriki of Konoha, and she had yet to show talents. About the Hokage, it didn't appear yet, because neither Naruto or Kagerou makes enough noise to get his attention. It will change now that she has been abducted by Danzô..._

_ : It described her life in the first chapters, but I found myself more interested in a closer narration. Sorry if it isn't what you expected of this story._

_ : I try to maintain my style. This story is an exercise for me, you know ^^ But I admit my chapters are better when I work longer on them (less misspelling, less mistakes and a better thought scenario). But I'm happy you're already satisfied with what I did now._

* * *

><p><strong>The offer<strong>

What to do ? I couldn't stay here, even though the idea really was tempting. Staying in the shadows forever and not bothering about people. No cheering crowds for me. I wasn't a hero. I didn't want to be one.

But I cared. I cared for my brother. I cared for Onii-Chan. I cared for Sakura-Chan. I cared for Uchiha-Dono. I didn't want to admit it, but I cared for them.

And I promised to take care of Sasuke-San.

These promises bound me to the lightened path. It forced me to take the way I disliked. I hated it because it threw my mistakes and weaknesses on my face. I was far from strong. These bruises that marred my skin were proof of it.

I sighed on that hospital bed, staring the white ceiling. There was no window to watch outside. Just large bleeping machines filled the silence and the loneliness. I had kept counting the seconds in the back of my head. I didn't know how long I was asleep, but since that boy came into my room, exactly two hours, forty seven and twenty six seconds passed. For now.

I had tried to get out of here. A simple door stood between freedom and I. There was also a maze of corridors with lots of ninjas waiting to put me back here again. Just a lock and I was trapped. A simple lock. By looking I knew how to open it. Theoretically. I never had to use most of the information I had picked in a book. Practice was different. But I had no tools nor experience.

I had nothing.

So I only stared at the ceiling, a white gown for only possession.

The idea I would not be able to see my precious persons again was unbearable. I could accept it if I looked at it with that detached part of myself. It would hurt, yes. But it wouldn't make me die. And the effects on my mind and body would be interesting to categorise. But that was totally inhuman. It wasn't right. It was a side of myself I didn't want them to see.

That boy had seen right through me. I was frightened because he was the same as I, but he accepted it. I felt utterly disgusted by that. He had actually enjoyed the idea of dissecting me. And so did I. My mouth tasted like bile, bitter. I was ready to throw up.

The only thing I could do right now was to look at the liquids entering drop by drop in my body. I wasn't sure what they were nor what effect they had on my body. The time of observation was too short and I didn't have any way to check any result I could find. The only thing I knew was the needle tickled me, and I wanted to scratch my arm so badly.

Someone was coming ! His chakra was familiar but I couldn't tell who it was. I heard a key turning into the lock. I prepared myself for what was coming.

This was bad, really bad. I couldn't fight without weapons. I only had chakra, and I only knew non offensive ways to use it. Hiding myself or detecting enemies I could do. I didn't know anything else.

A man stepped in. It was the old crippled man that had hurt Uchiha-Dono ! What was he scheming about me ? My eyes narrowed as he approached me. He had two scars forming a cross on his chin. Something about him made him much more dangerous than the boy I had seen.

"It seems that you're an interesting girl, Uzumaki Kagerou."

I preferred not answering his taunting. The hand that didn't held the cane gripped my face and he observed me with great interest. He observed me under the light.

"No marks on your cheek, even though your cells show the radiations coming from Bijuu's chakra. You're not a Jinchuuriki, but your body is strained as if you've been using its chakra."

Bijuu ? What was that ?

"Of course you're not aware of it. The secret have been kept well. But that might mean he seal around Kyuubi is weakening."

I didn't know if he was talking to himself or to me. Whatever. I didn't want to speak with that man. He probably was the one who demanded I was abducted.

"But I'm not here to speak about that. I'm here to speak with you, Kagerou-Chan."

He stopped holding my face to stroke my hair with such a familiarity it repulsed me. I reared back but couldn't go away from that bed.

"You probably are disoriented and wonder where you are. This place is your new home. I made it for people like you. People don't consider your real value. I know you're stuck in a class where you learn nothing and dream of better future perspectives." he said.

The way he was talking to me should feel personal. I knew he tried to manipulate me. I could sense the flickers in his chakra. Data. The way he spoke his words he knew by heart. Data. The coldness of his stare. Data. The envy in him. Data.

He was the one getting the benefits by getting me here.

So I answered :

"Your offer does not interest me. Can I go home now ?"

His eyes twitched slightly. His chakra flared a little. I wouldn't have noticed those details if I didn't expected them. He was annoyed. He was probably never told 'no' before.

"Of course, Kagerou-Chan. As soon as you get better."

Liar. He was lying. He had no intention to let me escape.

"But why don't you consider my offer a while more ? You won't have to work too much here. You may realise your dreams sooner than you think. Don't you want to become a ninja ? The sooner the better, right ?"

But I didn't want to be a ninja. I had enrolled the Academy without anyone asking me if I wanted to. Now I just wanted to graduate in order to help Naruto access the Hokage title. And become a sealmaster. I just needed to study more and more. Training to fight and kill people wasn't interesting. It held no scientific purpose either.

So technically, yes, graduating would probably grant me a lab sooner, but I anticipated lots of boring missions before I had enough money and experience to be left alone. Then I could start the real deal. I wanted to invent more and more seal that would ease people's life. Being in a class that was too easy for me was just what I needed : I had enough free time to do what I wanted and no one was bothering me with interdictions nor questions.

My actual situation was for the best.

"I disagree. I don't want to be a ninja, but I have to. If so I prefer to delay my graduation the most."

The man twitched again. It was nearly imperceptible, but again I expected it. It was predictable. Calculable. Mere data. My favourite.

"I suggest you revise your judgement about your career prospects. You live in a ninja village. You will be a ninja working for the village."

'You will be my weapon' I read in his eyes and I shivered. I could talk all I wanted. There was no way this man, whoever he was (Uchiha-Dono called him Danzô, did he not ?), would leave me no choice. He would make a pawn out of me. Rather than me hiding from the light, it would be my total disappearance. No friends. No family. No dream. No future. Only one present : being a killing machine.

This idea was unbearable. My look startled him, and I saw a little smile on his lips. His eyes were steel cold.

"And I will make a ninja out of you."

"Do try." I taunted him with a still voice.

I was threatened, most certainly. But I wasn't frightened. He was just an hindrance I could avoid with proper calculations. He had no qualms manipulating me. I was his target. None of my precious people was. It was between him and I, and there was use trying to fight him. I'll just escape from here and make sure he doesn't threaten me anymore.

"I will break you, Uzumaki Kagerou." he promised and his voice admitted to response.

I shut my mouth and waited for him to go away. I knew he could have cause me much pain if I had kept challenging him. I'll stay silent for awhile. And I didn't utter a word as he got out of the room. It was a game of patience. Which of us would break first ? I didn't know.

I'll wait for the right time. My plan was simple. I wasn't sure if any of his men had detected me when I came earlier or if I was abducted because of the incident in the park. It didn't matter. They knew nothing of me, because my friendship with Shisui-Nii was only known by Naruto and Uchiha-Dono, Onii-Chan and I made sure of that.

I had friends in the Police, in a big clan of Konoha. I could ask them to fight ninjas that shouldn't exist within the walls of the leaf village. I doubted that Danzô guy to be more powerful than that.

* * *

><p><em>Next chapter I'll show you that Kagerou isn't as powerless as she thinks.<br>_

_And she will probably have lots of troubles now._


	31. Escape

_Hey everybody._

_It's already Wednesday in France but this is really Tuesday's chapter. I just needed time to study my test an attend it (I screwed up, but now I'm done)_

_ : Yes it's predictable, but I don't have much time to think of the little details of the scenario. This Ark in the root is improvised. I thought of the idea at the end of this chapter, and I tried to go to it the best I could. So of course, if it follows a form of logic, the acts I write about are predictable._

_And didn't you tell you'd not have the time to review each chapter I post ? ;) I appreciate you take the time._

* * *

><p><strong>Escape<strong>

I was aware I should think of how to get out of this room. I should have looked for tools to pin that troublesome lock. I should have mustered my brain. It was too hard. And I was about sure it was because of that dripping liquid on the perfusion. It had a nice dark purplish colour, I reckoned, but it didn't look good one bit, after I had a long and proper observation of its effects on me.

If I had counted right, I've been trapped here with nothing to eat for about a day. I wasn't sleepy or hungry or anything. Just utterly bored but unable to think right. The only thing I could do was counting seconds, trying to get up and deciding to lay on that bed because the world spun too much.

"We're not gonna be friends, you and I" I said to the drops entering my body.

Now I was talking to an unanimated tool ! I couldn't focus on my thoughts. Any intelligent idea I could have slipped through my sluggish grip. This was so frustrating. For once, I would have welcomed that clinically clear part of my mind, the one that only understood facts and didn't bother with ethic or rules. I felt so useless.

My right arm felt like lead as I lifted it. I was slow, painfully slow. And my chakra mysteriously didn't want to respond to my call. Not feeling these sparks of chakra around me, not knowing who was close or not in this hostile environment was like being blind. And that worried me, because what I was about to do was foolish, incredibly foolish. Yet necessary.

My fingers caught the needle that entered the inside of my left arm. I pulled. I gritted my teeth as pain assaulted me. It was like getting pricked over and over again. I was panting when the ridiculously thin pipe went out. I gave myself a break to breathe normally again.

Soon, I was reminded by my body that I had needs, such as peeing. I looked at the cell I was locked in. I was less dizzy than before but the bruises I had gotten from the beating itched again. Even if that boy had smoothed the pain and helped with my cell regeneration, the healing process wasn't finished. I would estimate I was here for one or two days given my normal healing rate. Minus the green chakra action. And I couldn't tell if the liquid had had any action on it.

Anyway I really needed to go, but I had no toilets in here. Did they expected that I soiled myself ? I admit it was a way to persuade me to behave. I looked around the room. It seemed like I was about to cohabitate with an awful smell of urine. I got down of my bed, still feeling heavy and moving like an amount of jelly. I crouched in the corner and freed myself. I was so ashamed. I hoped if I escaped that they wouldn't be able to follow me because of that smell.

After I climbed on my bed again, I looked at my hands. What could I do to pin the lock ? It was a simple system : they didn't expect me to get out without a key. Either I made a key out of nothing, either I forced the system by another way. I couldn't simply order things around. It's not like it was possible to tell the door to unlock itself. What should have I done, drew pictures in front of the knob and wait for it to answer.

Wait a minute. I knew how things worked. This system was simple. Way more simpler than a explosion, for instance. I just needed something to draw with and enough chakra to activate my seal. I had all the time of the world to find how to do. But I didn't have any ink with me. Maybe if I bit my fingers hard enough I could get enough blood... It wasn't practical.

My eyes spotted the perfusion bag that was still hung near my bed head. I rolled its support near the door. It wasn't an easy task because it only delivered the liquid drop by drop, and I needed the pocket to be higher than the drawing end. But I kept trying and the first design was looking pretty good.

I had never tried to draw seals with anything else than ink. Lots of books mentioned blood or carving as a good vector for the chakra. The aim was to give a path to the chakra and not letting it wander. The support and the drawing were two important things. That day I learnt that any coloured liquid was good enough as long as chakra can be used on it.

It required a few tests until I found the good combination of designs and the right place to put my seal to make the door open. I could have blown the whole thing up if I had drawn the exploding tag I was working on recently. It wouldn't have been discreet. Of course I waited for the people that walked in the corridors to be far enough to use my seal. I wiped all my drawings before leaving. Somehow, that Danzô guy was the kind of person who would have been more interested in me if I showed that kind of talents.

Like the first time I came here, I hid my chakra and extended my sensors the best I could before running away. I didn't know exactly where I was, but I could guess that the places above me were rather crowded. I had to find that bridge again. Quick !

Unfortunately I had to stop when I spotted a few masked people ahead. They weren't looking at me, and I was small enough so that the holes carved for their eyes prevented them from seeing me. I curled myself in a shadowed spot, praying that they left soon.

A radio sizzled and one of them answered. I didn't get the urge but they were gone swiftly after. I peered at the corridor twice and checked with my sensors a few time. The way seemed clear. Once I thought I had felt something, but it was probably a side effect of the drug I manipulated earlier.

I ran, and ran again.

A hand grabbed my hair and I squeaked as I was dragged away from my goal. I struggled so hard that I thought some locks would come out. They had caught me ! I was done ! I couldn't sense him at all. It was like that person didn't exist at all. There was no one, and he was there !

"What a bad girl, leaving without a goodbye to your Nii-San ?" he asked with a happy tone as he let me go. "But you've chosen the right moment to leave, right ? You definitely knew than man would attack Danzô-Sama !"

I reared back. There was anger in his voice, and I wasn't sure that boy was rational enough to let me live again.

"But that's not the most important, right ?"

"Let me go." I said but my voice was trembling.

He paused.

"Do I frighten you, lil' Uzumaki ?" he asked.

I nodded. I was frightened, right. But my mind was clear. It was more a motivation than an obstacle.

"Good", he said. "Now how about we go back to your room with me ?"

"I don't want to stay here."

"Who would ?" he asked in return.

It was slight, but I heard the regret in his voice. Was he forced to stay here ?

"I have to find my brother. He is not here. I am. I have been chosen over him and that's not right."

"It is, you are more talented than he will ever be. I know everything. He skips classes and looses against the same people you won so easily. You managed quite a good moves against that Genin also, too bad his level was close to Chuunin or you'd have sustained a chance."

He was reporting to me. He was telling me what they saw in me. They saw raw potential. A potential that I acquired with Onii-Chan's help. He was the one to thank. I was merely an obedient student. Even without my help, Naruto managed to get good results. His grades were only low because of the Sensei. He was a hard worker. And he had that special red chakra that Uchiha-Dono seemed to find amazing the other night.

Yet I was picked and Naruto wasn't. Why weren't we both ? Didn't he also collapsed because of his wounds. Two orphans lying in the snow. It was so easy to pick them, right ? And why now and not before ? Why did no one had tried to abduct him or I at school, at the apartment, or when we were on the way home ?

Why me when everyone looked at my brother with disgust or fright ? Why was I the one picked to make a weapon ? What was I supposed to become ?

"Even if I'm talented, he would eventually be a better ninja than I, he has the ambition I haven't. Why isn't he here if Danzô brags his training will make me graduate in no time ?" I asked.

They wanted to make a weapon out of me. For what purpose ? Was it important that I wasn't around Naruto ? Didn't that exposed him more to the Uchiha Clan that seemed interested in him ?

"You're thinking a lot, girl. I like that look in your eyes. It makes me want to free you myself."

What was that guy ? He wanted to dissect me, then spared me. Now he wanted to help me when he should be walking me back to my cell ? It made no sense. And I still couldn't feel his chakra. Something told me I wouldn't feel exactly the same thing as the others in this building. They had all something in common that I didn't know. It probably had to do with being Danzô's henchmen. Somehow this guy was too carefree to be that loyal to such a man. And the old man hadn't mentioned his visit. Coincidence ? I think not.

"Who are you ?" I asked warily.

"Very good question, girl. Very good. I might even keep you with me, but this building will probably be full of people in no time."

He was right. Why did everyone leave ?

"Let's make a deal. Tell me something I want and I'll tell you a secret."

"And I'll be free."

"Of course."

"It seems fishy. What do you want to know ?"

"How did you unlocked the door ?"

"I used a seal." I answered.

There was no use lying. He could kill me all he wanted.

"Interesting... My turn then."

His lips brushed my ear as he muttered :

"An eye for a girl. That's what a friend of yours bargained. But you escaped and disappeared right before anyone could bring you to the trade place. Now everyone is looking for you and your friend. Isn't that wonderful ? I'd love to dissect you to see why you're worth the Koto Amatsukami. But I have too much to do to be pursued by the Uchiha clan."

What was he talking about ? What was all this stuff ? Did I made things go wrong ?

His chakra was glowing green as he hit my chest.

Everything went black.

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><p><em>I love my ideas :3 (yes, self congratulation is good sometimes.)<br>_

_Ok, I love torturing my characters with my ideas :D_


	32. Second awakening

_Ok, this chapter is reaaaaaally lame._

_Partially bacause I was lazy and didn't work on it beforehand. And because something happened to me IRL that affects me mentally. I don't have the head to write at all._

_But a promise is a promise, right ?_

_ : Obito ? Of course not ! He's already "dead" in this point of the timeline_

_**Kana-chan01** : Kagerou est douée, certes, mais elle n'a pas pensé à quel point ce serait dangereux de pénétrer à l'intérieur du QG de la Racine. D'où sa capture par Danzô et Shisui qui a décidé de l'aider en effet._

_**Homarid** : If you were confused, then it means that I conveyed Kagerou on drugs the right way. And you're right about the reference at the end of last chapter._

* * *

><p><strong>Second awakening<strong>

An unknown room. The same white gown. The same feeling on loneliness inside the white sheets. I was still groggy and couldn't tell when we were. Shisui-Nii and the girl. Naruto's hand around mine. The snowballs in the park. The stick with which I knocked down civilian boys. The blood in the snow. The Genin beating me. The grey haired boy with that look behind his glasses. The old man and his scheme. The drugs. My escape. And the boy again.

Everything was blurred. I couldn't tell what was before or after what fact. I felt so confused.

I was too sleepy to completely wake. I felt a jolt of pain in my chest as I sat on my bed. I was inside the hospital. Yes. There was a windows. The machines were more recent. The doors could be opened.

And in a chair slept my brother. He was curled in a bowl and his breathing was calm. Maybe was he having a nice dream for once. I managed to get on my feet. The floor beneath my feet was cold. And I couldn't walk right. Not that the world spun around me. But the pain in my chest was intense I had to concentrate not to whimper. I checked my arm though. No needle. Just a cute band aid inside my arm.

I put my hand in my brother's hair as every time I saw him so vulnerable. He mumbled my name in his sleep and I smiled slightly. He was beautiful under the sunlight. I looked at my skin. The bruises weren't black and blue anymore, more a mix of yellowish maroon and light purple. I mentally winced. I on the contrary preferred moonlight. Shadows of the night dissimulated my horrid self and it was much better.

An eye for a girl... What did that mean. I couldn't tell.

I massages my temples and leaned against the cold wall until I could clearly retrace my time as a prisoner. I was free, and I felt no Danzô's henchman near us. I focused on the people around the room. Some nurses roamed in the corridors, and so did patients. I could almost tell how many people were on the first floor. There was also a ghostly presence near us.

Annoyed, I looked at the window to find someone crouching on the window ledge. It was a masked man with silver hair. I reared back. That hair colour reminded me of this teenage nurse that had been so confusing. But the man was simply reading a novel without minding me. His shoulders were tense. He probably was here to watch over us. Or to watch us ?

I closed the curtains with brutality.

What was better ? No protection or being under surveillance ? Because I knew I will have to keep a low profile for now. Even if I had good grades and took supplementary classes because I had passed some theoretical exams already, I hadn't attracted attention on me until now. I was mediocre, below average in Taijutsu classes and I still had to train my body to do better throws. I wasn't that extraordinary. Because no one had ever known of my training with Onii-Chan nor my personal researches on various subjects. Stealth wasn't taught at school, not directly anyway, and I excelled in it. And I had just drawn a new seal.

How long until I was officially banded as a genius ? And separated from my brother ?

I clenched my fists. That would never happen.

"Never !" I yelled out loud.

"What ?" a sleepy Naruto asked.

"Go back to sleep, sweet brother of mine" I whispered before hugging him.

I couldn't stand on my legs anymore. I fell on him and he groaned. He was so hot.

"No one will ever hurt you anymore, I promise." he muttered. "I'll protect you, so you won't have to do everything for me."

I cried silently. I didn't know if it was happy or sad tears. It didn't matter.

Naruto was given back to me, and I wouldn't let go of him. Because he was my one and only brother.

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><p><em>See you tomorrow ! My lazy depressed self salutes you !<br>_


	33. Questions

_OK. About thoe who are confused by the timeline. The first chapters were very informative and general about Kagerou's life and did extend to a time that didn't happened yet. For now she is still seven and it's late winter (February-March).  
><em>

_ : Yes it's simple because I write everyay. Not all my ideas are good._

_**Cerulean ** : I'll write again about Kagerou learning about Shisui's death. She still doesn't know about it at this part of the timeline.I hope I'm not confusing you furthermore.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Questions<strong>

No one came to visit. No one. In three days. Only Naruto went.

No one else did.

Was my hospitalisation a secret or did the people I had bonded with didn't care ? Was Onii-Chan in a mission he didn't told me about ? Was I nothing to Uchiha-Dono ? I know I was caught because of my own carelessness, but he didn't come. Neither did Sasuke-San nor Sakura-Chan. Even if we weren't that close it would have been nice to see a known face.

In my room, only Naruto came, and only with one of the two nurses that took care of me.

And the silver haired ANBU was still at my window. Sometimes I would stare at him as if he was the cause of my loneliness. I wished I could tear a hole in his skull simply by looking really hard.

I wanted to do something, but I felt watched. Tons of ideas and their calculus invaded my mind, and I knew the sheets of paper were near me. I simply didn't want to touch it. It felt wrong, right now. My seal had helped me escape. And then...

"An eye for a girl" the boy had said.

What did it mean ? What did that mean about my freedom.

Someone knocked on the door. It startled me. It had been three days and someone was finally looking for me ! My sensors didn't recognize the signature clearly. It was definitely someone from around Konoha, but Shisui-Nii never asked me to look for this person.

The door slid open. The man in the entrance was tall and bulky. He was wearing a dark suit that made the scars on his face look even more gross. He didn't look sympathetic at all. He frightened me. Not like the teenager frightened me, of course. But that man had an aura that said : 'you're in deep trouble kid.'

"Uzumaki Kagerou ?" he asked with his strong voice.

"Y... Yes ?" I stuttered.

"My name is Morino Ibiki. I work for the Torture and Intelligence Department. I have some questions for you about concerning abduction."

My mind froze. Was I really in that deep trouble ? I mean T&I was for criminals. Have I been that bad ?

But... But interrogating victims is the work of the Police. Why wasn't an Uchiha coming to ask me some questions ?

"Why isn't the Police asking me questions ?" I asked.

"I'm the one asking questions." he answered.

On my tongue rolled several other questions. Was he aware of the looks my brother was getting from the Uchiha Clan ? Did he know how dangerous the Root was ? What did they know about me ?

He made me seat back inside my bed, insisting that I should rest. I still felt pain when I moved, but it was nothing compared to what I suffered a few days ago. My skin was almost back to its normal colour. Some dark yellow shadows subsisted here and there. Honestly I felt good. I had showered a few hours ago and brushed my hair.

"What is the last thing you remember doing before the incident ?" he asked.

"I was beaten up by a Genin and left in the park until I felt unconscious."

"Which park ?"

"The one near our block."

"Why were you there and what day were we ?"

"It was Sunday afternoon, and I wanted to go outside with my brother." I said, not mentioning the Shisui-Nii's stalking part.

"Right."

He marked something down. I wonder what it was ? Did my body show him I had forgotten details on purpose ? He didn't insist on it so maybe I seem clean.

"Why did that boy attacked you ?"

"Because I fought with his brother and some of his friends."

"What for ?"

"They insulted my brother and I and ganged up on us."

I was calm, my voice was steady. But inside I was boiling with anger and disgust. These boys had done that to my brother. They deserved to be punished. But it made me use that clinical part of myself. If they hadn't fled, maybe I would have done worse than hitting them with a wooden stick. Maybe I would have written an explosive seal on the snow. Maybe I would have coated the stick with chakra because Shisui-Nii wanted to show me efficient ways to survive.

Onii-Chan's teaching were giving me chances to have a kill. Hopefully I had enough decency not to use these on mere civilians. And in front of this Genin (close to Chuunin level I had been told), my skills weren't near enough and I was already hurt.

"Was it self defence ?"

"Not... entirely."

"Explain."

"They were older than us and my brother was losing. They underestimated me. So I used what I found to hit them. It was a wooden stick."

"How many were they ?"

"I'd say about ten, and I knocked out half a dozen. The others were also injured. I avoided the dangerous areas."

"How is that ? Given your age and what I know of this incident, you shouldn't have been able to do such a thing."

"I work a lot outside school." I said.

He nodded before marking something else on his pad. What was that all about ?

"Excuse me, Morino-San, but why do you ask about that ? Why are you interested in that event ?"

"Your brother has been sent to the hospital with you and the civilian boys on Sunday night. None of them had family. The so-called Genin you've fought never existed. We think he was to assess your skills. Sometimes kids disappear because of Root. Orphans most of the time. Yet you've managed to make them flee."

I froze again. What was happening ? Why would they been interested in me ad not my brother ? Why would someone pay for my freedom and make the entire Root move into another location ? What was that Root thing anyway ? Why was no one doing anything if this was such a dangerous organisation living right under our noses ?

"I'm no one important. I could have gone out another time. I could have decided to stay home that day. Why me ?"

"This is classified." he answered.

I grit my teeth. Other questions about other threats. What was wrong with people around me ? I was told nothing. They wanted me to behave. They wanted me to get stronger. Shisui-Nii or Danzô offered me to be stronger. Uchiha-Dono, Shisui-Nii and Morino-San weren't telling me anything and wanted me to keep my cool. Hell, I now even had ANBU shrivelling my brother and I.

"What is going on ?" I exclaimed, almost yelling. "What is everyone hiding from me ?"

"This is classified. I can't tell you anything."

"Who decided of that ?"

"The Hokage did."

"Can I see him ?"

"You think a kid like you is important enough to meet the head of the village ?"

"I didn't think an orphan girl like me could attract so much attention until now. So yes, I think I'm important enough."

He looked at me with a thoughtful look, and I felt like he was about to grin.

"You're right about that, kid." he answered. "Now, tell me what happened inside Root."

"I was locked inside a room with nothing but a bed and drugged. I don't know how long I stayed there. I was visited by a young male nurse once that threatened to kill me. And I met Danzô."

Morino-San straightened on his chair.

"What did Danzô offered you."

"Training. Early graduation. And he left me inside the room alone for a long time until I managed to free myself. When I did, the building was emptying. Then someone knocked me down and I woke up here."

"Uzumaki-San, you've spend about two days and a half there. Apart from the method you've used to escape that doesn't concern me the least. Did you hear something unusual ?"

'An eye for a girl' immediately came to my mind. But it was something else he was looking for. He was interested in Danzô's whereabouts. This sentence was said by the grey-haired teenager. And he didn't seem really on his side.

"No I didn't. I'm sorry." I lied.

"Thanks for answering my questions. You soon will be free to go home."

He got out of the room. He said nothing about the ANBU posted at my window.

Was that really freedom ?

* * *

><p><em>I really wanted to write about Shisui's death, but I can't bring myself to do it yet... Poor Kagerou :'(<br>_


	34. Disappearance

_ : Shisui did save Kagerou. But she doesn't know that yet._

_Dear guest, start thinking again about what a marysue is, because Kagerou is clearly not._

* * *

><p><strong>Disappearance<strong>

I gave the signed forms to the lady behind her desk in hospital hall. She scanned the sheets rapidly with expert eyes. The stamp was real. I was free to go home. But before I had a detour to make.

Because I really was angry at a certain Uchiha. And I demanded answers. I had disappeared almost two days and had been hospitalized again more than three other days. Almost a week. And he wouldn't ask news. Given how he was lovely-dovey with that girl the other day, I doubted he had a mission that made him go away and not be aware of my kidnapping.

I had expected him to pop up in this room for days. Despite the presence of the ANBU, I was quite sure he would have been the one to rush to see me.

And nothing. He didn't come. He didn't give any sign.

I was hurt, terribly hurt by this attitude of his. Did he think he could just simply toss me now that he had someone else more interesting than I to see and to train with ? I was angry, and I would find him. And when I do, he will regret teaching me how to track people.

I walked on the deserted snowy streets of Konoha. Naruto was probably ditching school at this hour with other kids. I hope I wouldn't be seen by them. The cold was everywhere, and I blessed the thick fluffy coat I was given by the nurses as well as the clothes they had for me. My nose was red, and my fingers stiff. I started running.

I looked everywhere I could find. I scrutinized every training ground to find the curly haired Uchiha, with no success. I walked all the streets of Konoha, and never caught any hint of his presence. I knew he wasn't that good at concealing his presence, and he wasn't like Uchiha-Dono who loved to hide his signature all the time. What was that man playing at.

I stopped by the Dango shop I had seen him with his friend once.

"Obaa-San !" I called the vendor.

"What do you want cutie, shouldn't you be at school. Kami, what happened to your face ?"

"My bruises aren't that serious. I'm looking for one of your regular. Tall, about seventeen, curly black hair and eyes, always optimistic."

"Ah ! Shisui-Chan, right ? Dear, don't you think you're too young for such a guy ? I admit he is gorgeous, though. If I had been thirty years younger..."

"Yes, that's him ! Did he come recently ?"

"Hummmm, I think I remember him walking around here by Sunday afternoon with Inzuka Hana."

"Inuzuka Hana ?"

"You know, the veterinary."

"I'm sorry, I never met her."

"Well she's really good at her job. You should see how she treats her dogs. A living wonder."

Even if she surely was the girl that Onii-Chan abandoned me for, she had high chances to know where to find him. I was reluctant to talk to her, but she was my best lead for now.

"Where can I find her ?" I asked.

"Are you in a rush, dear ? You don't seem at ease. Here, take some sweets."

She handed me a large glass jar. I took a handful of these colourful candies, thinking of all the sugar they contained. With no money and no one to dote on us, we rarely ate such things at home. I hid them in my pocked before popping one in my mouth. It was bliss.

"You feel better, don't you dear ?"

"I still need to find Shisui-Nii."

"Of course, of course..."

I offered to pay for the treat but she refused before showing me the way to the Inuzuka household. Too bad the only Inuzuka I knew enough to recognise his chakra was probably running Kami know where with my brother. I thanked the old lady and bowed before running again.

The snow was scrunching under my feet. I wanted to find Shisui.

I heard barks far away on my right. I sped up in that direction. In the garden a woman with a ponytail was petting a dog. She straightened as I approached. I hadn't tried to hide my presence, but I flinched anyway. She looked at me and I recognized the red triangles on her cheek. She might be the right person. I slid on the snow until the barrier stopped me.

"Are you Inuzuka Hana ?" I asked panting.

She nodded and I noticed how empty her pupils were. She had dark and red rings around her eyes. She had cried a lot.

"And you're Uzumaki Kagerou, I presume. Shisui-Kun's little friend." she answered with an empty voice?

The creak inside of it made me hesitate. I was wary of everybody, but she wasn't faking that expression. My instincts kicked in and I understood everything. The puzzle was complete, and I wished I hadn't found the answers to the most recent question I had in mind. Shisui was nowhere near the village. He had disappeared.

"Where is he ?" I shrieked and fell in the snow.

"I'm sorry ! I'm so sorry !" she croaked and I could only stare at the snow dumbly.

She walked to me and tried to help me up or hug me, I don't know. I reared back. I didn't want her to touch me. I felt so disgusting.

'An eye for a girl', this was the prize for my freedom. And I didn't want to understand. Shisui had lost an eye to free me, and now he was probably chased by the Root. All because of me. I didn't know. I didn't know !

"Kagerou-Chan..." Hana-San called me, approaching her hand again.

"I didn't want that !" I yelled, getting back on my feet.

I started running. Everything because I acted without knowing. How did people expected me to behave that way ? They condemned me to ignorance, and now I had to pay the price for my mistakes. Nothing f this would have happened if I had been given the right answers.

That ghost of a weasel was definitely going to talk. I would track him until my last breath !

* * *

><p><em>So now Kagerou knows it is Shisui who has lost an eye, but she is still unaware of his death.<em>

_Ok, because it bugs me, do you people think Kagerou is a Mary Sue ?_


	35. Chasing the weasel

_Sorry, I'm so busy I can't update as often as I want. Damn these exams of mine ! And damn the boy who dumped me just before that ! Damn it all !_

_About the Mary-Sue thing, I think Kagerou isn't a Mary-Sue. Someone told she was kind of one because I was building my character to be a legend. For now there is nothing legendary about her. True she has an excellent stealth and she is way smarter than the people of her age. But even with Shisui-s training, she is still under the average level of physical strengh required to be a ninja. Overpowering Kagerou ? The only things useful in her arsenal is her stealth and the shunshin for now. She had been able to make the seal on the door because it wasn' a hard thing to do. Yes, she knows where to strike to hurt her opponents, but she has no strengh to back her fighting style. She fought against her brother and won because she is training more than him. And she won against the other kids because they were civilians, because she used a weapon to fight and because she is training. In a fair fight, she would lose against her opponents, which means she is likely to lose a fight against most of her classmates. What Shisui is teaching her fills the gap that exists between the civilian kids and the clan kids._

_Also about the scene I borrowed from the manga. Yes, the sentences the characters say aren't the one you've read because I had to use my own manga (in french) and sometimes scan trads to have something that looks rather good. I apologize if they aren't the words you expect._

* * *

><p><strong>Chasing the weasel<strong>

My mind was blank as I was running. I wanted to fond Uchiha-Dono, but I didn't know where to look. I felt so miserable. For the first time of my life, I wasn't thinking. I had no calculation in mind. I was just passing the streets with the wind on my face. If felt so cold and froze my tears. I couldn't spot crying. I bumped a few people but they didn't care. I would be the demon child's sister forever after all.

Hana-San didn't come after me. She did right. I didn't know what I would have done. Hell I didn't know what to do tight now ! I was lost. 'An eye for a girl' Shisui-Nii gave up his eye for me. It was a great proof of love. I was utterly scared to know how deep he cared about me. A few hours ago I wanted to ask him who was more important between his girlfriend and I. Now I just wanted to gag.

Nothing of this would have happened if I hadn't been captured, if I had made Naruto leave the park before beating up these civilian boys, if I hadn't seen Onii-Chan with her that day. My fault. And being sorry wouldn't change anything. He was gone, probably in great danger right now !

What if the grey-haired teenage nurse wanted to dissect him because of me ?

I hit a wall while running, feeling nauseous. I couldn't breathe right. I was unable to find my Onii-Chan. I could do nothing, and I knew worrying was useless. I was useless. If only I had been strong enough to hold my ground against that Genin guy and carry my brother to the hospital.

Frozen tears fell on the snow. I let out a small whimper which quickly became a horrendous howl. How horrid was I ? Bad, bad, bad Kagerou ! I was never worth the efforts Onii-Chan had put in our training. I was a weakling. I thought I was strong, but being strong was so wrong. What was this twisted world ? A place where people who try to stand against their bullies are rewarded by even more pain ?

What a sick place ! It made no sense ! No calculus could ever be right in this freaky place ?

"Shut up cunt !" a male voice howled and a stone almost hit me.

I ran again. Not knowing where I headed for. I started walking again after a few minutes. My breathing was erratic. I was never good at running too long anyway.

My senses tingled. A name I recognized had been said on the other side of where I stood. I climbed on the tall wall on my left, noticing the red and white fan on it. The exterior wall of the Uchiha compound. From where I was, I recognized the inner yard where Sasuke-San broke my brother's nose. Three men were calling Uchiha-Dono out of the house. The teenager came out and I almost growled. Then I remembered that I was actually spying one of the greatest clans of Konoha. I tried to calm the maelstrom of emotions that made everything spin.

"There was only two absents at the last assembly." a really long haired policemen said. "Shisui and you. What's your excuse ?"

Were they about to ask about Shisui-Nii's location ? I too wanted to ask questions to Uchiha-Dono. I'll wait for my turn. Maybe he wouldn't answer to my questions as I was nothing to him, but policemen were a special force of the village. He had to listen to his clansmen. He had to respect them. He would answer them. And I would finally get my answers.

"We know you've recently entered the secret services, and I can only imagine the load of work you were given. Your father confirmed it, but we know he was protecting you." the same man continued.

"Don't think we'll overlook your absence." the grey-haired one added.

"Very well. I won't do it again. You can go." Uchiha-Dono answered with deference.

I tightened my lips. These clan meeting things had nothing to do with me.

"You're welcome. But we have another question." the man pursued. "It's about Shisui."

My heart fluttered and I tightened my chakra grip on the wall.

"We found his corpse the other night as well. Apparently he threw himself in the Naka river."

My heart stopped and I fell in the snow piled down the wall. I couldn't help shivering. His... corpse ? Shisui-Ni was... dead ? Tears fell again. Harder this time as my heart was tore into shreds.

"He's the other absent from the other night. We know you like him like a brother."

"He's dead, you say ? I haven't seen him lately. What a tragedy..." Uchiha-Dono answered.

His voice was smooth as always. He was sad, I could hear it. But he was... I don't know. There was something wrong the way he said it. I couldn't tell what, but there was something bugging me.

"The police will investigate this matter." the long haired Uchiha informed him.

"Investigate ?" Uchiha-Dono remarked.

"This is the note he left before dying. The analysis is positive : it's Shisui's handwriting."

This... made no sense. It couldn't be ! He saved my life ! 'An eye for a girl' That's what that boy said.

"If it isn't a homicide, why do you investigate ?"

"Nothing is easier for a Sharingan wielder to imitate someone's handwriting. Plus the body was missing his eyes. We never found them back."

Nausea came back, and I almost gagged. This was horrible. I could understand he bargained his dôjutsu to save my life, but he only gave an eye to save me. My mind showed me an image of a bruised Shisui-Nii with blood tears rolling under his empty eyes sockets. I shivered. What was this world. He wanted to save me, he gave something so powerful to save my life and now he was dead !

I was such a bad girl.

"Shisui was one of the best ninjas of his generation. He took hard missions again and again. It's hard to believe this is a suicide in these circumstances." the third Uchiha said.

"You're full of certitudes, but appearances can be deceiving." Uchiha-Dono wisely answered.

His voice was hard. What were these men looking for ? I could tell they were only being polite because Uchiha-Dono was the heir of their clan. I heard their doubts in their voices. I came to have more answers, and only found bits of truth and lots of disgust for myself.

"Take the note, and ask the ANBU to investigate as well."

"Understood."

"Hopefully they will find proof. We have contacts, we would know immediately if they found material evidences."

Why were they saying that. Did they not trust their heir ? He was a genius and a loyal soldier to the leaf ! Silence only answered to my interrogations.

"Tell what you really think." Uchiha-Dono finally ordered them.

The murder intent that rose from the three policemen shook me to the core. I was trembling hard. Even Uchiha-Dono as frightening. He had the same chakra pattern he had had that night in the Root headquarters. I could feel the other chakra creeping inside of him. It was like a leech inside of his chakra meridians.

"Are you suspecting me ?" the genius hissed.

"Of course little shit ! " the long haired one answered.

"Listen Itachi, if you ever try to betray the clan, we'll be merciless." the old one answered.

I heard the sound of fist and feet hitting flesh. I could hear the three Uchiha struggling against their genius heir. No, they weren't struggling. They were getting beaten up. Memories of hits on my face, arms, stomach and I waiting for it to stop came to my mind. I refrained the need to poke my bruises to see how fresh they were.

The seed of doubt tried to grow inside my heart. Uchiha-Dono was hiding something, right. It was hard to tell, but I had a hunch. But the thing I was sure about was that Shisui's death wasn't a suicide at all. Why he fell in the Naka river, I wouldn't know. 'An eye for a girl' I believed in these words. I trusted them so much now I knew how they had found... his remains...

"I told you appearances can be deceiving." a panting heir told the three groaning men. "For instance, you've thought I had a lot of patience and you could abuse of it... Above all you underestimated me. 'The clan' here. 'The clan' there. You all fail to measure you own capacity, and to see the depth of my own capacity and as a result you lie beaten here."

"Shisui was keeping an eye on you. Within half a year of your entrance in the ANBU your actions and speech were getting stranger than ever. What exactly are you thinking ?"

"You hold onto your organisation, your clan, your name... These things limit us and out capacities. These things deserved to be shunned. It is foolish to fear what we've yet to see and know !"

"Itachi, stop !" the head of the Uchiha clan shouted.

Uchiha-Dono was angry at his clansmen, I got that. But was he saying he despised them and found them weak since he entered the ANBU ? I didn't get the meaning of his words. I doubt I was able to understand them in my position. I was still shocked by the news of Onii-Chan's death. But this... What was happening ? Was Uchiha-Dono trying to erase their suspicion over him or was he enjoining them to be wary of him even more ?

I didn't get that. It made no sense. And I still didn't know what happened to Shisui.

And it had apparently nothing to do with the story about my brother either.

I shouldn't care, but I was unable to move from the puddle of snow that had cushioned my fall.

"Stop it already ! What in the world is wrong ?" his father asked. "You've been acting strange lately."

I felt the unknown chakra inside Uchiha-Dono jolt. I was waiting for a whimper of pain from him. It never came. He was the genius heir of the Uchiha-clan after all.

"Nothing's strange. I'm just carrying out my duty." he answered with a steady tone.

Liar. I had the same voice when I was lying to my own brother. And I always had a hard time to fool Naruto !

"Then why were you absent that night ?" Uchiha Fugaku-Sama asked.

"... to rise..." his son answered.

"What ?"

I felt his killing intent again and winced. There was a hard chunk on the other side of the wall. Like a blade hurting stone.

"My capacity is withering in this pathetic clan ! You forget what is important to you by clinging to something small like this clan. True change cannot happen if it bound by laws and limitations, predictions and imagination."

"What arrogance !" the long haired Uchiha growled.

"Enough of this nonsense ! If you continue this, we'll have to put you into jail ! " his father warned him.

I heard the worry in his voice. Was that how one should care of its children ?

"Captain ! Please order us an arrest !" one of them requested.

"Onii-Chan, stop !" Sasuke-San said.

Since when was he eavesdropping as well ? I hadn't check who was there because I focused solely on Uchiha-Dono. Shisui-Nii would have told me I was careless. I almost start crying again, but this was too much. I was exhausted.

"I'm not Shisui's murderer, but for the words I have spoken I am deeply sorry." Uchiha-Dono apologized.

Then his father took full responsibility of his son's reactions, blaming his work schedule. Plus he couldn't arrest him because he was ANBU. Even if the words of the clan head were absolute, it didn't calm the killer intent emanating from Uchiha-Dono. The killer intent was coming from this other chakra, I knew. It was something wrong; So wrong. And I knew about it. It was something Danzô did to him.

Instead of walking home, Uchiha-Dono walked away. As if I was pulled by invisible strings, I got up and lazily followed his pace. I had found him. I couldn't let him go. There was still answers I wanted to get. There was something wrong going on in this clan. The entire scene was proof of it. Something made me think their interest in my brother was linked to it.

'An eye for a girl'

Right, I still had to ask about that also.

It wouldn't make me stop hating myself for my carelessness, but it would give me closure. And I needed that. I would get my answers.

* * *

><p><em>I'll try to show how deep Kagerou is affected by the events when she talks to Itachi. I'm afraid I couldn't change the orginal scene much, hence the 'lack' of emotions of Kagerou when she is spying. <em>

_If you're wondering if the Uchiha didn't see her, let me remind you they are in a city, so there is lots of people living near the clan. So they would pay attention to Kagerou only if she represented a threat. And she is currently an Academy student. So they didn't noticed her. Itachi did though, because he recognized the feeling of Kagerou isolating his chakra signature (because she is still unable to track someone in a discreet way)._

_See you soon !_


	36. Partial truth

_This chapter took forever to write... I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to keep the pace... It'a actually very early on Tuesday in France and I wonder when I'll fall asleep on my keyboard..._

_ Of course Kagerou wants to f**i**nd Itachi, not to fond him ! Heck, it's just an error of typing ! And I am still looking for the exact meaning of this M rated expression, because my dictionnaries fail to teach me ( though I can guess the general idea, which is just sick because she is just 7 !)_

* * *

><p><strong>Partial truth<strong>

Ever heard of the story of the little girl who got lost in the forest while she was looking for her friend the weasel ? Never ? Well here's what happened. You take a little girl rejected by its peers. Perhaps it's because she is too smart for her age and because people think her brother and her should disappear from the surface of this world. Well even if she never had a pretty childhood, she managed to survive. One day someone appears in her life : a will-o-the-wisp. She is afraid because she knows he burns even if he is pretty. She tries to make it disappear with all her might, but the creature made of fire is hard to blow away and the little girl starts to think he's nicer than the other. He made her dream. He made her laugh. He made her cry. He made her work harder than she ever did. She does not see where he leads her, but she follows him. The little girl is crazy about her new friend, he gives her gifts and praises and she is happy.

But her new friend isn't the happiest. He has other friends, as she has her own brother. The will-o-the-wisp likes a weasel very much. The weasel isn't a social animal, and he is tiring himself to protect his family. The will-o-the-wisp cares so much for his friend it affects him, so the little girl decides to make the weasel happier, so everything will be for the better. She follows the weasel in a cave and everything starts. From unnoticed and hated, she starts attracting attention. The weasel saves her life, and shows her she is powerless and should hide. But it was too late and the little girl is abducted by creepy shadows, creatures that had never existed in the first place. She wants to show everyone she is strong and manages to escape. And successfully get her friend the will-o-the-wisp killed.

What a silly girl ! She thought her friend was abandoning her, whereas he accepted to pay the highest price for her. For her life !

"Reality isn't a fairytale." I muttered dryly as my mind continued telling the story of what had happened to me, as if it could have a happy ending. The girl was lost, yes. I was lost. I didn't know where I was in all this dark barks and white snowflakes. Step by step I walked. Without thinking much.

I was focused on Uchiha-Dono's presence. Usually he masked his chakra so well I wouldn't grasp it well. It would seep between my fingers like a gust of wind. But not today. Maybe was it because of the emotions he was feeling. Maybe it was to make me go to him. I didn't care. The tears had dried on my face, tracing salty trays that pulled my skin in a disagreeable way.

It was my fault if Shisui-Nii had died. I was the cause of it all. And it hurt so much I wanted to rip that beating heart out of my chest. I wanted to stop thinking and to stop feeling. Being as numb as my body was in this freezing cold.

And here he was, leaning to a tree. Waiting for me. Uchiha-Dono.

_The cunning weasel._

"Uzumaki Kagerou." he acknowledged my presence.

"I want to know the truth." I said.

I might look silly with my crying face and my body trembling from the cold. But he noticed the steel in my voice.

"You heard the police. Shisui committed suicide, after he gouged his own eyes out."

I felt nauseous. The very idea was making me sick. It took me a few minutes before I could breathe properly again, let alone talk.

"I didn't spy on you on purpose."

"Yet you are here. I saw you following my trail for months. It was... entertaining."

"That means I clearly am not strong enough. If I had had the in formations I am looking for before I was abducted, none of this would have happened."

He clenched his fists. He too might probably think I was responsible for this.

"Don't." he almost snarled.

"Don't what ?"

"Don't blame yourself for something you haven't done."

My heart froze. Again. Were these policemen in the right ? Was I facing my Onii-Chan's murderer ? Did he finally decided it was better to kill his own cousin rather than slowly crushing his heart with worries ? Anger flared in me. And fear. Brutal emotions.

Yet I was here. For answers. I wasn't satisfied. I didn't believe what I had heard. Even if Uchiha-Dono had issues with his clan, it probably had nothing to do with Shisui-Nii's... death.

"I am responsible. And so are you for not telling me."

"I do not follow your thoughts." he said with a confused tone.

"I... had been abducted by the Root because I followed you all these months ago. Because of my carelessness, Shisui-Nii was forced to... intervene."

'An eye for a girl' the male nurse had said.

"You... are aware of a lot of things. May I know how you've had this information."

"Someone told me. I don't know his name."

He sighed heavily. He had sadness and exasperation in his eyes.

"I should have been more careful about Root. Why did Danzô even bothered with you ? You don't have what it requires to enter his foundation. What did he ask you ?"

"He wanted to train me so I would graduate early."

"It makes no sense..."

"I know. I have nothing interesting. My brother is the one with the boost of evil chakra."

"Shisui picked you for a reason. Don't underestimate yourself. A girl that can isolate my chakra signature when hiding is interesting enough."

"What about Danzô ?" I asked.

He was still thinking hard. His jaw was clenched, I could see it was a hard topic for him.

"I do have an idea of why you've been abducted. It makes perfect sense. I can't tell you."

"Why ?" I growled.

This was so unfair ! He couldn't do such a thing.

"Your brother and you are already too involved in this matter, even if you're not aware of it."

"I know there's something wrong. You say you will tell me nothing, yet **you** are here !"

"Yes. I thought I should tell you about his death, it was the least I could do. He cared about you."

"He cared about you too. He was concerned about you. There was something going on, but he never told me what. And now he died because of me and you still condemn me to ignorance !" I yelled.

Anger flashed in his eyes and in a fraction of seconds the teenager was gripping my collar, lifting me high above the ground. I didn't dare breathing.

"I told you not to blame yourself. What happened that night..."

He let a hiss escape from his lips and I saw it. The sadness, the depth of his pain in his eyes. I looked in his eyes without blinking. Then suddenly his grip loosened and I fell down as he curled his hands into fists. I breathed again as he started trembling. It was totally out of character, but right now I was expecting him to cry. He didn't. It would have helped him though. Crying myself didn't change the fact that Shisui was dead, but I was too tired for now to cry anymore. But Uchiha-Dono was just waiting to regain his composure.

And I pictured in my head Shisui-Nii crying. It would have never happened because he was too awesome to cry. But all of us were only human.

"It is not your fault, Kagerou. Don't blame yourself for his death. You couldn't have prevented it whatever you've done."

"Did you... Were you there... when he... ?" I asked with great difficulty.

"... yes..." he answered after a while.

I didn't know what to say. What would have I done if I had been the one to face Onii-Chan's corpse ? What are one supposed to say when someone is suffering this way ? I had seen my brother cry sometimes, even if he didn't want me to see his tears. I had seen Naruto's sadness so deep, mirroring mine, and I had only been able to stay by his side. I would make the same promise to Uchiha-Dono.

"Whatever happened that night, I still consider you as my friend. I think... he would have liked that... maybe..." I mumbled.

I looked away, but I still extended a hand towards him. The first time I had trusted Uchiha-Dono, I had been unable to shake his hand. It would have meant the beginning of our own friendship. But now the one that linked us, Shisui-Nii, wasn't there anymore. And I knew how lost I was, I could only imagine how the boy in front of me was feeling. From what I saw it was ugly.

Maybe I really wasn't responsible for Onii-Chan's death. Maybe I was too small to make things change. Maybe Uchiha-Dono wasn't strong enough himself. But we were both alive, and our common friend was six feet under. I couldn't let go of him. I couldn't. And if it was the only way to keep a bit of him inside of me, then I would be Uchiha-Dono's special friend. Some people said we were alike. We should get along, right ?

"Are you trying to befriend a man you've just met again, Uchiha Kagerou ?" Uchiha-Dono joked, but the heart wasn't there. "Don't you think it's too much to go to that extend for mere information."

I blushed. I wasn't befriending him because I wanted to lure him ! I cared about him ! Because Shisui-Nii cared about him. But that didn't mean he had to say such harsh things to make me go away.

"Onii-Chan was right. You'd do anything to have your way. I can see why he thought we were alike." I growled. "Not only you underestimate me because I'm just a kid to you, but you also insult my pride !"

"Quite the contrary, you could be a threat as well as a liability. I can't have you near me."

"Then you should have tell me to quit instead of luring me here. You didn't wait for me to offer me your condolences ! A genius like you shouldn't have never cared of a kid like me. But you did. You still do."

The logical part of my brain, the one I wanted to shut up when fighting was involved because it made me plan horrible things kicked in. It made no sense for Uchiha-Dono to care for me. If he thought the same as I did, if he had sometimes the same urges as I, maybe I was just a data he wanted to observe. I was just a liability or a threat to be. Either I was probably an obstacle to whatever he was scheming.

"I wouldn't have cared of your plans if I wasn't sure they involved my brother. Your clan want something of him, I still don't know what. But I'm here. Another unknown of the equation. That could change everything. And you're just here to observe me, aren't you ?"

He didn't answer, but something in his posture told me I was in the right. How far I was from the truth, I didn't know. I had a sad smile, and I sighed. What a sad character Uchiha-Dono was ! Still I wanted to extend my mind to him. I knew I worried about him, and Onii-Chan would have cared too. He has been Shisui-Nii's other person, the reason the boy had first approached me.

"Fine ! Don't talk ! Don't tell me anything ! What was I thinking ? That you would tell me what I wanted to know ? What a joke !"

"Shisui did not die by your fault. He did not die by my hand either. Yet you believe me. Why so ?"

I sighed. Was it what he was looking for ? Someone to share the load. I smiled again.

"Is it why you made me come here ? To tell me I trusted you ? I do."

"Shisui instructed you to trust no one."

"Would you lie to me ? To your clan ? About his death ?"

"No."

"There's no logic in your acts. I thought you were more rational than this, Uzumaki Kagerou."

"I believe that logic can't solve everything. If I had been logic, I would have followed what people said and leave my brother. I wouldn't have hid him inside the orphanage until we were discovered. Love has its own logic."

I was seven and I knew something that twelve year old genius ignored ? Unbelievable.

"You must be right about that."

"And whatever Shisui-Nii said. I trust you because I want to. You promised to take care of my brother and I promised to take care of yours. We share a bond that you want it or not. I propose you my friendship. You may take my offer or not."

"You sound rather... sensible in your grief."

"So do you. We both have or ways to cope with pain, don't we ?" I said.

There was another silence. He started walking. I felt how numb the cold made my body. I felt pain prickle in my arms and legs as I tried to follow his pace. He slowed down and lifted me in the air again. I gripped his shoulders and tied my legs around his waist.

"Your lighter than Sasuke." he remarked as we moved much faster than I was used to.

"You care about your brother. I care about mine." I muttered. "If only I was strong enough to protect him."

"Power isn't an end in itself. You want to protect your brother because he is unaware of the danger around you and him. What will you do with all that strength when he'll be strong enough to hold his ground ?"

Uchiha-Dono's back was warm and I felt tired. So tired. But I wanted to know.

"What will **you** do when your brother is strong enough ?" I countered.

"I don't know." he answered and I felt his discomfort. "But I know you'll be there when I will be away."

"I promised, didn't I. Silly me."

"You don't seem enthusiastic at that idea."

"Your brother is rather annoying. He thinks that impressing me will impress you also. And that is never gonna happen."

"Sasuke is trying very hard not to be viewed as my brother. I think it's a problem you can understand."

Wasn't I the demon child's sister ?

"Your brother's logic is... flawed." I noted.

Uchiha-Dono didn't answer. I hadn't noticed night had fallen and that we had reached the balcony near our apartment already.

"I shall take my leave, now." he said.

"Wait ! You still haven't answered my questions !"

"You'll try to find me again if I don't, won't you ?" he sighed.

"Yes."

"I cannot guaranty you an answer."

"Why did Shisui-Nii had to die anyway ?"

"This is not something you should know. My clan has rather... disturbing ideas about the village. Shisui was trying to fix what has been broken for a long time between the Uchiha and Konoha. Apparently Danzô was trying to pressure him."

"So the man abducted me to force Shisui-Nii to stop doing what he was doing ?" I conjectured.

'An eye for a girl' This sentence suddenly became more important than I thought. The nurse had said something about the Koto Amatsukami I was traded for. What was that ? It bugged me.

"I'm not sure of this facts. These are merely assumptions I made. It isn't necessarily the truth."

"And what links my brother to your clan ?"

"I know the answer to that question. I can't give it to you though."

"Why not ? The stuff about your clan and Danzô seemed dangerous already."

"I can't tell you because the Hokage ordered us not to talk about it."

"Then I'll ask someone else. If it's an official order, other people will know. Maybe I'll get more answers that way." I bluffed.

Never try to lie to an Uchiha, and never threaten them either. Because they will make you pay.

"You don't understand. The Hokage ordered the whole village to keep quiet about this."

"What ! But what secret could be big enough to silence the entire village ?" I exclaimed but he had already disappeared in the night.

Right. Enough of this ! I would get my answers ! My brother was in danger.

Did that mean I had to get my answers from the Hokage ? How the hell was I supposed to do that ?

* * *

><p><em>I am unable to keep their emotions when they are discussing. I know both of them are deeply afected by Shisu's death, but it's so hard to show it in their speech<em>

_Too late it's almost 00h30 and I need my goonight sleep._

_See you !_


	37. The Hokage

_I have some ideas for the story, but I can't just use them now. That's so frustrating, GRRRR  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>The Hokage<strong>

Today's the day. I was summoned to see the Hokage. I had never expected that. I was bluffing when I told Ibiki-San I was important enough to see the Hokage. I wasn't suppose to meet him in person. That shouldn't have happened.

And yet I was waiting in a room without my brother. Alone.

Danzô picked me because he could use me against Shisui, whatever was happening in the village. So why did the Hokage summoned me ?

It made no sense.

My life hadn't changed much since Shisui-Nii disappeared. Well I couldn't see him anymore and it hurt me again and again, as if a knife was twisted in my wounds. But I didn't stop training during the times we used to train. It was my way to keep him alive. And not being left behind in sport. He had been right : I couldn't learn everything by reading books or calculating trajectories. I still lack the strength to stand against most of my classmates, even with all the exercises he made me do.

I wasn't incredible. I was smart, but my brains didn't stop me from being beaten by a Genin. It didn't stop the glares of the people. It didn't stop the bullying at school. It just gave me excellent grades.

The door opened and I was asked to enter. I had dressed up for once. The little shoes, the striped tights, the yellow dress, the ponytails... Every inch of my appearance screamed I was a model little girl. Which I wasn't. I was so bad and reckless I got one of my precious people killed. Uchiha-Dono could say he would have died anyway given the circumstances, I was the very reason he lost an eye.

I walked inside the round office to sit on a chair. I faced the old man in his large white and red outfit. My eyes caught the a picture of him much younger on the wall. On his left was another man with white hair and red eyes that I identified as the Nidaime Hokage. A pioneer in forbidden sealing jutsu, I had read. A shame his mentor in this matter never wrote about her work. The women of the most powerful Shinobi ever, Hashirama Senju. And the one that was left was the genius Hokage, the Yondaime. The one who died defeating the Kyuubi, the demon that attacked the village the day Naruto and I was born.

"I reckon my picture must seem more attractive than my current self, but I am the one who requested your presence, young lady." The Sandaime Hokage mused.

I jumped with surprise and blushed, embarrassed that he caught me daydreaming.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"No need to apologize, Uzumaki-San. But remember your place in front of me. Now, let's talk about you."

"A... About me ? I don't understand."

"I've requested that an investigation is done about your abduction. The information I have gathered concerning this, and about you are troubling me."

He paused and locked his eyes in mine.

"What is your link with Uchiha Shisui ?" he asked.

"You... you know I was related to Shisui-Nii ?" I exclaimed.

"Only recently. Because of your recent abduction, I had to put you under surveillance."

He was probably talking about the ANBU sitting on my window. Maybe the man had not been discreet to avoid new problems.

"I had always centred my attention on your brother for various reasons. And yet you've been the one attacked." he said. "I wondered if you knew why ?"

So he too was aware that I was not as incredible as my brother. I had won against him the last time we sparred. I was getting better in class. I had passed most of the theoretical subjects. But I was still a child that didn't deserve the Hokage's attention.

"Isn't that the Police job, or Ibiki-San's ?" I asked.

"The police is busy enough with her own investigation. And I think your abduction is more important that it looked. You said you've met Shimura Danzô when Ibiki-San questioned you."

"I did. He proposed to train me."

"Do you know who that person is, and do you know where you were kept ?"

"I don't exactly know what he does in Konoha. All I know was that I was drugged inside a room. There was other people in this building, with chakra I had never sensed before."

"You can sense chakra ? Interesting. How different was it from other people ? From mine for example."

"I can't explain why, but the people in Konoha all have the same... feeling of chakra. I mean chakra signatures are different from a person to another, but people here have the same... pattern. Chakra flares differently with emotion too so it's difficult to isolate one person, but I'd say these people where I was trapped felt like they were from around here, and somehow they didn't belong in here."

"You can feel emotions through chakra ?"

"It's difficult. Not complex emotions, just the general trend. If I had to explain, I'd say all the people of Konoha have the same 'colour' of chakra but the shade is different for each person. And the thickness of their chakra indicates other things, like how much they produced. Statistically people produce more chakra when they are under a strong emotion. Because people feels lots of things all the time, it's like it makes waves or something."

"Where did you learn all that."

"I read a lot. Then I tried lots of things, mostly on my brother. And Shisui-Nii taught me how to find people when I had isolated their chakra signature."

"You're calling him in that familiar way again." the old man sighed. "What is the nature of your relationship with Uchiha Shisui ?"

"I think we were friends."

"You think ?"

"I don't usually have friends, Hokage-Sama."

"Given how you're talking to me with that little respect in your voice, I can relate. Oh, I don't blame you. It's very understandable given what happened to you."

"I apologize for my rudeness anyway."

"You're not as worse as certain people I get to meet, you know. And I wanted to speak with your brother and you for a long time, but I never found the right moment. There are things I would like to tell you, but I am waiting for you to be mature enough to understand."

"I too had questions for you also : what is everyone hiding from us ? I know there is something for sure. Ibiki-San told me, and so did Uchiha-Dono."

"By Uchiha-Dono you mean Uchiha Fugaku ?"

"No, I mean Uchiha Itachi."

There was another pause and I knew he was debating about what he should tell me or not. Obviously he had summoned me here because he had linked me to Shisui-Nii, hence to his death. There was probably something else, because he was beating around the bush and listening to my theories about chakra. Naruto always told me I was annoying with these 'scientific bullshit' and Shisui nodded most of the time while muttering he didn't get most of what I was saying.

I should tell the Hokage all I already knew, so he would probably think I should know the rest. Uchiha-Dono said he couldn't answer me because of what the man had ordered the village to silence. Ibiki-San did the same.

"Uchiha-Dono thinks, and I agree with him, that my abduction was made by Danzô because he wanted to blackmail Shisui-Nii. I haven't told anyone yet, but a teenager nurse inside the building I was kept told me Shisui-Nii tried to rescue me by offering his eye against my freedom. He... probably died because of my carelessness." I said with a voice broken by the emotion.

"I see... It enlightens the whole story differently. I still wonder how you got to know Uchiha Shisui that well, let alone Uchiha Itachi."

"There is more. Because I had saved Sasuke-San's like in a group work when we were in the forest, I was invited inside the Uchiha Compound. There was... How can I explain that... Some sort of 'mean' atmosphere, you see ? I'm used to people trying to chase my brother and I away, but the looks on my brother that day... I don't know. I think there is something going on there."

"You really are a sensible girl. I understand why Danzô wanted to keep you inside his foundation even if you lack the main characteristics."

Uchiha-Dono had said that also. I didn't know what he had meant.

"Anyway I've heard a lot about you these days. I had never paid much attention to you before, because your brother was the most preoccupying subject."

"Could you stop saying I'm worth less than my brother ?" I asked angrily.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Uzumaki-San."

And for the first time after Shisui-Nii's death, I snapped :

"Then at least tell me what is going on with my brother ! I'm the one that goes to school everyday ! I'm the one who trains like hell after school ! I'm the one who does the laundry, the cleaning and the cooking at home ! I love my brother, and I know he is special ! But now the only person who wasn't from my family who didn't compared me to anyone else is gone ! I thought I was special when you summoned me here ! But all you talk about is the Uchiha clan and my brother ! I care about him, I do ! It's fine if average people treats me like Naruto's sister. But you made me think I was worth something. And all you're saying is that my brother is more important than I ! I already know that ! But there's no need to rub my face in it !"

The old man eyed me quite differently after that. He handed me tissues to blow my nose and dry my tears when I stopped trembling and crying at the same time. He seemed more gentle.

" I apologize for my behaviour. Being the Hokage and you talking like a mature child, I thought I could say things the way they were."

"I am aware of my brother's importance. Whether it's hate or the Uchiha's looks on him, I had always been forgotten. I'm used to go unnoticed. I don't mind that. But it makes me feel so powerless. I can't do anything to help my brother. I feel like an outsider, looking the tragedy that is going to happen. I'd love to protect him, and I thought I was strong enough."

"Don't try to grow too soon. I know in other times we would have eyed your brother and you quite differently. For now, Konoha is in peace, and it's in its best interest to protect your brother. If you want to protect him as well, then I can't tell you what is going on."

"Why ? That's unfair !" I yelled.

"And please remain calm. I already have troubles to deal with my grandson's cries, and so does my ANBU."

"My brother and I are in danger, and you won't tell me a thing ?"

"I am putting you and your brother under ANBU surveillance. That is the best outcome to this situation. You already know too much, Uzumaki-San. You've already been abducted, worse things could happened if I told you everything you ask me to tell you."

"Tell me already !" I snarled.

"I am the Hokage. I had been kind enough for now, I think. Know your place Uzumaki-San. You're just a ninja in training. Now, behave !"

He hadn't shouted the entire sentence, but his words burned inside my head. I was too weak. Too young. Not important enough. I was nothing. A mere ninja in training. I knew I shouldn't have talked to him like that, but I had never planned to get to see the Hokage in the first place. I had tried to get the information I wanted, and I would never get another chance. This was infuriating !

I went home sulking.

What was this village ! I had never wanted to be a ninja and they forced me to be one. Now that I accepted to play by their rules I had to keep quiet like the good pawn I was ! Why was it so hard to protect the ones we loved ?

* * *

><p><em>This chapter is bugging me. I know the Hokage is OOC, but I can't have him doting on Kagerou, it just looks illogic. And then they started talking like they wanted... I just gave up on these characters. And why does Kagerou sounds just like she's having her adolescence crisis ? She is still 7. My mind probably just hates me...<br>_

_My exams are in two days... I don't think I'll be able to puclish during those days. _

_I hope you still enjoy the story !_


	38. Burial

_I'm trying not to make time ellipsis in this story, but it's hard since I can't make Kagerou a Genin yet (She's too young and she has much to learn, like Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu)..._

And I'm still wondering with which characters I can put her. I don't feel like giving her OC partners. I know the team she will have in the end, and I am considering making a two man team Kagerou and Sai, but I still can't decide on the teacher. It will likely be an infiltration team given Kagerou's stealth, but I don't know for sure.

**Sleepypuppy** : The Hokage is sensed. Basically he is telling her she's just a kid, and even if she does know things she isn't supposed to, he will not endanger her more. He is aware that she is just the Jinchuuriki's sister. She does have potential, but she has yet to exploit it. I don't understand why you said "death to dumbbell far 2much alike". Thanks fore reviewing.

**Guest** : It's not like I'm bashing Sasuke. Actually the way Kagerou sees him before the massacre is an immature kid. And he is considering her like a replacement of his brother he fails to impress. Kagerou is suffering enough about being compared to her own brother, it annoys her that a few characters compare her to Itachi. You said Sasuke left the village. He did, but after he received the curse mark and after the massacre. His relationships with Kagerou will change a lot until then. He fights against the village system ? What I saw was either him trying to destroy the current system because he was full of revenge, or suggesting a new world order where he would be an immortal big bad guy that would kill anyone who tries to start a conflict. It is true I don't really like Sasuke, but right now he has yet to become an interesting character before I can really start making Kagerou work with him.

**EpicShadowNinja** : SasuKage won't happen in this story, because I'll have Sasuke realise that the feelings he has for her are admiration and not love. After that they will likely be friends and not 'rivals' like Sasuke and Naruto. Their relationship will be hindered by the cursed mark (for different reasons I can't tell now because it's too complicated).

* * *

><p><strong>Burial<strong>

One would expect the rain or some bad weather when it comes to put a relative six feet under. An acknowledgement of some sort for the one who's gone. But no. The day Shisui-Nii was supposed to be buried had been a beautiful day. Spring was coming back and the snow had started to melt.

I had received a letter from the Uchiha clan. Another official one. Because of the investigation, they were now aware of my closed relationship with the deceased. I was kindly asked to take part of the last ceremony, even if I had not been able to participate to the funeral wake where only the close family was allowed. I was tempted not to go, but there was the package with the letter, a black kimono that was just my size.

I had cried when I saw the little fan embroidered behind the collar.

The Uchiha clan respected the tradition. Even though Shisui-Nii's body was _incomplete_ (that thought always sent shivers down my spine), they had done everything right. I dreamt of this the other night. First the matsugo no mizu, the sacred water poured on his lips allowed him to be reborn. I hoped he would reincarnate in a nice family that would bring him the happiness he deserved. Then the makura-kazari. I imagined a pillow near his head with some flowers, incense and a candles from left to right. They had put a juzu inside his hands, while praying to him. I heard the ryos clink in their bag when they offered him enough to pay the boatman on the Sanzu river. Finally they would clean the body and put the ceremonial shinishôzoku on him. In my dream he was smiling, lying on the altar with the same expression he had the day he took a nap while I was training. The priest and the family told prayers. Everyone in my dream was faceless. I knew there was supposed to be the people I had met, but I couldn't see them. I was like really close to the body and really far away from it, as if I was floating. Then suddenly Shisui-Nii sat up and looked right at me.

"An eye for a girl." he said, but it was the teenager voice.

Then he put his hands on his cheeks and pulled on the muscles, opening his stitched eyelids forcefully. Empty eye sockets looked at me and I saw blood tears rolling on his face.

"You did this to me, Kagerou-Chan ! What a bad girl you are !" he mocked me.

I woke up screaming. Naruto had to restrain me to calm me down, because I was kicking and howling, and crying on the bed like a possessed animal. I had had troubles to fall asleep since then.

A few days after I had met Uchiha-Dono for the last time, I saw a black smoke coming from the temple in the Uchiha compound. It was a heavy smoke, and carried an acrid smell. Everywhere I went I could only think of this smell. They weren't burning wood. _Cremated_. This is what they had done to Shisui-Nii. He would leave nothing more than ashes. Dark, heavy, sour ashes. I wanted t cry all the time.

Sasuke-San had dark rings under his eyes. He wasn't trying to follow me at school anymore. But one day he looked at me and I saw he was feeling the same as I. He too had lost someone dear to him. We didn't talk about it. We didn't cry. He kept being the cute popular boy of the class, only he was wearing black. I kept being bullied in silence, I had no clothes to show I was mourning.

Forty-nine days passed since Shisui-Nii's body had been discovered and cremated. It was the day of the burial and I had received the official letter. I didn't sleep the night before. I couldn't. Naruto held me close during the night. He didn't want me to go to the Uchiha compound alone. Not with what happened with Sasuke-San last time. I didn't want to go either. Bringing my brother was a bad idea with whatever was going on. But I needed to tell him goodbye. One last time.

I put the kimono on with great difficulty. I couldn't ask my brother's help, and I was still unable to produce clones. It had been a long and difficult trial until I managed to look presentable.

I walked to the Uchiha compound. No one looked at me. As always, I was ignored. They hated my brother, I on the other hand was nothing to them. But inside the Uchiha compound that was different. I was an outsider. No, I was one of the outsider allowed to come here. Inuzuka Hana was there too. Maybe it meant her relationship with my Onii-Chan had been more profound and greater than I imagined.

She took my hand under her long black sleeves. I tried to get away from her grip. No one. Was touching. Me. She didn't let go. I looked at her and saw the tears coming from her eyes. She batted her eyelids and they didn't run on her unusually pale face. She was in pain. She had seen my pain the day I had been released from the hospital. I had seen her despair. We shared an aching secret.

We walked together in this crowd of Uchiha, a blonde child and a chestnut-haired teenager is a sea of brunettes. I squeezed her fingers back. Neither of us would let go. I was on the verge of crumbling, but she was with me and I still could walk. Far from us were probably the head of the clan, his wife and his two sons.

The priest said prayers I didn't get because we were too far away. The smell of incense was carried to us by the wind, and it seemed to affect Hana-San greatly. She still didn't let go of my hand. Then they put the urn where Shisui-Nii's ashes and bones had been sealed inside the vault. I had troubles reading his name carved on the tombstone.

Then everything was over. People stayed a long time though, addressing a prayer at my Onii-Chan's spirit. I did too. I told him how thankful I had been to meet him.

'An eye for a girl'

I had told no one but the Hokage. I told Shisui. I knew what he had done, and how guilty I felt. Uchiha-Dono had told me Shisui-Nii would have died anyway. I didn't believe that. What could have cost his life ? He had been killed because I had been his liability. Because I was so weak.

Now I was just back to be the plain and invisible of Uzumaki Naruto.

Hana-San still had my hand in hers. I spotted Sasuke-San in the front of the crowd tugging his aniki's kimono and waving at me at the same time. They looked at me in sync with their big black eyes. I found myself smiling shyly at them. The boy smiled back, the teenager's lips twitched slightly. Mikoto-Sama patted their shoulders and they were facing the grave again.

Maybe not so invisible as I thought.

* * *

><p><em>I have a question. Before the massacre, the school year will end. Then there is summer and another year. I don't plan for Kagerou to graduate yet (I'm not sure if I'll have her graduating early, but not before she is 9 or 10 wich makes about three or four years left to train). But I'll need to keep her busy, and I won't be able to do much relationship developpements. And I don't think having her talking about her theories about chakra is interesting.<em>

_So I thought of giving her a light medic formation. Very light. She will mostly understand how it works (so that later, much later she will be granted a lab by Tsunade to improve the Hospital). What do you think ?_

_What do you think she should learn ? I mean we know some basic tricks the genins make, but I'm wondering about the actual skills needed behind. Kagerou is smart, good at stealth, bad at fighting, doesn't know any useful ninjutsu in fight except for the Shunshin, she throws shurikens well but it's difficult to kill people with it.)_

_There is so many things she could learn, but she can't learn too fast and I don't want her to have much firepower. She'll have some later, but now she can only rely on her speed and on her explosing seals she can use to make traps with._

_If you have ideas, I'm all ears._

_See ya !_


	39. April

_Since I don't have the time with my exams right now, this chapter isn't very important. Well it marks a little pause before the Massacre occurs, I thought it was important not to push things too soon. Plus Itachi is thirteen in the canon version, and he won't be before his birthday in June (actually he was also thirteen when Shisui died but I adapted it here)._

_**Tensa-Zangetsu102** : I won't put Kagerou and Naruto in the same genin team. First because Kagerou will likely graduate before her brother, and second because every story where Naruto has a sibling has them in the same team. I don't say it is bad, but it's too classic._

_ : Ok... A really long review... Kagerou the kenjutsu master ? Why not. I never actually pictured her with a sword, rather with a naginata or a kusarigama. You're right about the fact she needs to compensate her bad Taïjutsu, but I just can't decide which weapon to give her. Something more discreet than the ones I said because she is stealthy (is that really a word, I wonder). OMFG I think I can have her change a weapon to have one like in RWBY (for close combat and shooting). I wasn't thinking of arrows though, it would likely shoot Senbons or shurikens (a bit like a puppet, but everything would come from a seal). About a homing device, I will keep the idea in the back of my head. As for her abilities in the Shippuden time, she still won't be a warior (rather a scientist), but she will have neat tricks in her sleeve. Actually I don't think she will fight fair, so there won't be much grandiose fights. after all I do plan to make a sealmaster out of her._

_**Seikai no dansu** : I think she can learn how to make poisons. She is rather patient and with the right teacher and the right books, she can be deadly. It would bode well with her stealth. Maybe a mix between poison and espionage ?_

_**Guest** : I agree with you that Sasuke's character is interesting, and that his actions re coherent with the traumatizing events that happened in his childhood. If I looked at him only as a character driven by his will of revenge, I don't think I'd have stored a story about him in my PC (in French, and I don't think I will translate). For now, Sasuke still hasn't reached that stage in my story, and he will play an important role. It's not that I don't appreciate his character, I don't like what he had become in the manga. I think the way Kishimoto made Sasuke in Shippuden isn't that good. I think the character is lacking introspection. Because his revenge goes totally against what his brother stood for in the first place._

_**Sleepypuppy** : I haven't thought of Hana as a medic, but she can teach the basics to Kagerou._

_**Guest** : I think Kagerou will like Tsunade better because she is a woman of power, and because she is someone interested by science. Not many people are interested in Kagerou's theories about chakra and seals. Tsunade might have her work to improve either the medical system or the protection of Konoha (which is a barrier sustained by a seal)._

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><p><strong>April<strong>

I looked at my reflexion inside the mirror. I tried to remember how I had been last year at that time. Alone, five centimetres smaller (I had checked the markings on the wall), long blonde hair probably. Nothing had really changed since that time, though. In fact, if as if nothing had changed. What made me bony before had been exhaustion and malnutrition. Today it was the grief. There was emotions in my eyes now though. I supposed I should thank the Uchiha clan members I had met for that.

I was still the same outside, but I was so much different in my mind. I wanted this to appear on me, I wanted something more visible than memories. So much had happened ad yet I still was the same.

No, I was different. If was different. I was about to enter my third year at the Academy, along with my brother.

Life was going on. Nothing had stopped. As if Shisui-Nii's death had never happened.

Life was going on, without him.

'An eye for a girl'

I still felt wrong about that. I carried that uneasiness with me like an invisible ugly scar. I was responsible for everything that happened. Something else was coming, I felt it. I could do nothing to stop it. No one wanted me to help. I felt useless. I had to apply to my role : I was to be either a damsel in distress or a bystander. It didn't protect me from worry. Or guilt. It was just a slap in my face. I was facing with my own weakness there. I was the one they compared to others. I wasn't worth protection, unlike my brother.

I checked the clock. We were about to be late.

"Hurry up, bro ! We've to go to the Academy" I called. "Stop laying in bed and get your ass here !"

Naruto groaned and walked a few wobbly steps. He yawn, and I silently scowled. He was still in his pyjamas. I knew I should have woke him earlier. But since the burial, I still had trouble sleeping. The nightmares had stopped after a while, but I was still scared to drift into unconsciousness. I went in bed the same time my brother did, but I needed to wake up early. Most of the time I would do push-ups in the living room. I had tried running outside, but an ANBU had appeared from nowhere and started following me. I didn't clearly see him, but he wasn't trying to hide his chakra signature. I was nothing to him after all. It was too much for me to handle, and I decided not to leave home alone as often as I did before.

"Breakfast, now. And get dressed." I ordered.

"But sis..." he whined.

"No complaints."

I should had woke him earlier. That sloth. Not a morning person at all.

Finally he was ready. He grabbed his bag pack and I took mine. We had only five minutes to get to the school before the bell rang. We hurdled down the stairs like every day we were running late. I could avoid the walls now that I got the trick. If I spun at the right time, I could slid on the floor and gain speed.

The way from our apartment to the Academy was rather short and direct. We had to avoid the people though. Some mornings were more crowded than others. I wish I could jump on the roof like all the trained ninja did. This was so much practical an fast than the streets !

We got into the right line just in time. I looked at the promotion under our own. Aoi-Sensei still was their home teacher, despite what he had done to me. After all I wasn't important enough to get him fired. He stared at me when he felt I was observing him. I did not advert my eyes. He didn't scare me last year. He wouldn't this year either. Plus he wasn't teaching me anything. This year we got Mizuki-Sensei. He was alright, I guessed. At least he had been polite to us whenever we had met him by chance.

"Okay class, let's move to the training grounds." our teacher said.

I took Naruto's hand in mine and followed. We were third years now. And something told me our life wouldn't stop being full of events.

* * *

><p><em>Exams are tiring... It's like they are sucking all my creativity.. Urggggh !<br>_


	40. Kagome

_Sorry if I'm late ! I have too much work with the finals of this semester I couldn't write anything the days before._

_This chapter is about Sasuke's relationship with Kagome, I hope you'll like it._

_ : I still want to have Kagome become a sealmaster, that's how I pictured her becoming a scientist. But this will likely be used a lot as a cover story to help her infiltrate some places. Indeed she will likely be able to find more useful data if she knows her stuff. She will maybe not need a sword because I'll have her learn the chakra chains technique from the Uzumaki clan and use it as a weapon. About what she will become later in the story, I still have the ime (and I already have ideas, but I can't give them to you, yet ;) )_

* * *

><p><strong>Kagome<strong>

I had never thought of staying inside the Uchiha compound after the burial. It was a district of Konoha, but too far from the centre for my taste. There really was a different atmosphere here. I wasn't pressured like I had been when I went there with my brother. These people were in ain, and I felt it inside of me. Their chakra was disturbed, cloudy I would say. I lacked the word to express that.

Staying here felt weird. People tolerated us during the ceremony. They were against my presence and Hana-San's but I really felt like an outcast. I would have ran away if it wasn't for the teenager's hand holding my fingers. I did mind the human contact. I like holding my brother in my arms, and I liked the way Onii-Chan patted my head. Holding hands with a complete stranger was totally out of my character. But she needed me to be there, and I needed her.

I looked at her face. Streams of tears had dried on the red triangles on her cheeks. I touched mine. They felt wet and warm. I swiped my face with the inside of my sleeve.

"Should we go now ?" I whispered to her.

"I think we should give our condolences to his mother, don't you ?"

I thought I had no such desire. I had never heard a word from him about his parents, and I really didn't care. But it seemed important to Hana-San. Maybe she knew Onii-Chan's mother ? Maybe she was just being polite.

"I don't want to meet her." I said.

"Quiet now ! People are looking at us." she shushed.

They were just looking at us with less discretion than before. I still felt their eyes burning holes in the back of my kimono. Hana-San took a long inspiration and blinked a few times before walking to the front row. The head of the Uchiha-Clan was discussing with other clansmen, Mikoto-Sama was holding the shoulder of another women, Uchiha-Dono was flicking his brother's forehead. The Inuzuka glanced at me before she yanked me forward again. I couldn't resist the traction. I followed. Despite her lean musculature, she had lots of strength.

"Mikoto-Sama. Hiroe-Sama." Hana-san greeted them.

I merely nodded in silence.

"Kami-Sama, so you're the one my son had chosen !" said the women I had never met. "And you're his protégé, I think. My poor girls."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." I said with a dry voice.

"This is so unfortunate the rest of our clan cannot see these young ladies at their real value." Hiroe-San said.

"We aren't used to outsiders." Mikoto-Sama added. "But you're welcome in our compound anytime."

"With pleasure, Mikoto-Sama." Hana-San answered.

I said nothing. It was the second time I came here, and they had to send an official letter to force me.

"Tell me my dear, how did you meet with my son ?" Onii-Chan's mother asked Hana-San.

I managed to escape the teen's grip as the elder woman took her away. Immediately, Mikoto-Sama caught my shoulders and I found myself facing Sasuke-San.

"Are you... ?" he asked.

"I'll be fine." I assured him.

"I hope so."

I followed his gaze to my hands that trembled. I hid them under my sleeves.

"I never thought you knew Shisui-Nii-San, Kagome-chan." he said.

"Well I did. And please stop calling me Kagome, that's not my name and you know it well." I growled.

His eyes locked into mine.

"I'm not sure I can do that" he said.

"Why not ? Is it that hard to listen to other people ?" I sighed, but I kept my anger at bay.

"No, but... It's the only way I found to get your attention. You'd always get angry when I called you Kagerou." he muttered.

"What ?" I exclaimed.

He put his index in front of his lips, blushing slightly. I was sure that anyone who wanted to listen to our conversation could do so, even if we whispered everything. He looked around before asking his mother if we could go and play by their garden. Mikoto-Sama accepted, and I had to follow him out of the cemetery. I refused to take his hand, so he held one of my long sleeves instead. He started talking again when he was sure we hadn't been followed.

" I don' like people who treats others differently because someone of their family is really famous or popular. I don't really have friends, you know. People think I'm too good for them, or they are jealous because of these girls... And then I saw you. And I thought you and I were similar."

"I have to agree. People despise me because most of the town hates my brother for unknown reasons." I said with an equal tone. "But that doesn't explain that name you call me."

"At first I really thought it was your name. I mean, we've worked together before we had that survival test in the forest, but I never knew how to call you. I was sure it was Kagome. But you were never looking at people, and you always said the least you could with that expressionless voice of yours. I could tell you were in pain behind that mask of yours. Then last year, after the summer, you changed. You started talking to Sakura in class. I was happy you were doing better, and I wanted to be your friend even more."

"I'm sorry, I never noticed that before." I apologized.

"Then you saved my life. I don't know, but you looked so cool in front of that wolf. Then you looked to lost when I thanked you that I thought I had a chance. But you didn't want me to sit next to you."

"Because of you everyone started thinking you and I were involved, and that meant I would be bullied more. Plus my brother hates you." I said and the anger flared slightly.

"I noticed that your mask was getting thinner every day, and I think it's thanks to Shisui-Nii-Chan. So I decided that even if you didn't want me near you, I still could help you with that mask of yours."

"And you also thought that if you impressed me, you could impress your brother. I noticed how people tend to think I resemble him."

"Aniki doesn't have friends either. He had Shisui-Nii-San, but now he's all alone. I never told him, but I saw how hard it was for him to become a Chuunin very young and how his old Genin team treats him when my mother decides to invite them. He is sad. And I don't want you to be."

"Stop caring for me !" I snarled. "I know people like you. You're just like the others at the orphanage. You play nice until you can break me into pieces again and again !"

"I care for you because I like you." he said with such a smile I didn't know if I wanted to slap or hug him.

"I don't like you, so go away !" I yelled.

"I won't. I want to help you. Shisui-Nii-San was there for Aniki and he helped him. I want to do the same for you."

"It makes no sense..."

I couldn't find anything to say to him. Because in reality I had no real reason reject him.

"Will you be my friend, Kagerou ?" he asked and it felt good to hear him say my name.

He understood me. Maybe not like Onii-Chan did. Maybe not like his brother did. But he wanted to be there for me, and he did not look like the bastard my brother described. He just look like a really nice kid.

"I... I don't know."

"I'll protect you from every bully, I promise."

"I need time to think about it. I understand how you want to help me and be my friend but... I just don't understand what you see in me."

"P... promise me you'll _never_ repeat that." he stuttered with a slight blush.

I lift my finger and his cheeks reddened even more.

"It was one evening. My mother was late to pick me, and you were on a swing with your brother. Your clothes were tattered, and I could see the bruises on your body. But you were laughing. As if nothing had ever happened to you. Since that day, I promised myself I would see you laugh again."

I don't know if it was because of the ceremony, or because of what he had told me, but I felt like crying and smiling at the same time. I never liked anyone to see my face when I was getting emotional. This is probably the very reason I hid my face in Sasuke-San's kimono. Just like I was doing with my brother sometimes.

He liked me just because I had laughed ? What a stupid idea. But a very nice idea indeed.

"Sasuke-San?"

"Yeah ?"

"Never call me 'Kagome' again, please."


	41. The clearing

_Sorry if I'm late. I had written this chapter yesterday, but I couldn't go to this siteweb (I don't know why)  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>The clearing<strong>

I had never really paid attention to that before. I knew I was weak in everything that involved physical effort. I could run faster than other kids, but I was within the last ones when it came to run laps. I could land an accurate punch, but I had no strength to back it up. My shuriken and kunais always hit their target, but I always failed to thrust it deep enough to make a real gash.

I thought everything I had worked with Shisui-Nii, and all the training I was still doing was enough to make me better.

This illusion was broken the very day Hana-San appeared in the clearing I was training in.

"What do you think you are doing, moving like that ?"

I eyed her with annoyance and a twist of anger. I didn't want her here. It was one thing we supported each other at the ceremony. It was a whole other thing to see each other. She had been trying to talk to me for days. And I had always found a way to get away from her. We had nothing in common. And the fact that she started following me pretty much like Shisui-Nii did at first got on my nerves. Every time I knew she was near me, I would think of their kiss on that snowy day, of that feeling of betrayal, and then my guilt submerged me and I felt nauseous and on the verge of crying.

"Go away." I answered.

"I won't. You need help, you know. To deal with his death and all..." she muttered gently.

"That is what you think !"I snarled.

"Maybe." she admitted after a while.

I had been training after class in this clearing, with Shisui-Nii or simply by myself. And now she stayed some days. She wouldn't go away, whatever I told her. She was like Sasuke in that sense, listening to that desire to help me. I needed no help. I wasn't sick or anything like that. Her presence made everything worse.

And there was what she said.

"Either he had been really soft with you, or you really suck." She would say.

"Was that a punch ? All I saw was you petting that tree." She mocked me.

"Nice throw. Looks like you'd do good in a circus."

She was also giving me advices and I took them, even if I didn't want anything coming from her. They were sinking into my brain. Shisui-Nii had attempted to teach me a fighting style that suited me better than the one the Academy used. He didn't practiced it. Hana-San did, and she knew her stuff.

And I saw how far I was from the other students. I had the brain. I had the guts. I had nothing else. And the Inuzuka vet knew it. And she didn't miss an occasion to prove me I was far behind my classmates. She also predicted that my advantage in throws and grades would not last long. I wasn't the only hard working kid from the class. And my assets were calculus, chakra detection and stealth.

One day I had enough of her taunting me and I decided not to come by the clearing again. I was weak in the physical field ? So be it ! I still had exploding tags to dissect in order to complete my notes about seal patterns. Once I had been able to avoid Hana-San. The second time I felt her following me again. I had been hiding my signature the whole time. I found out too late that she had been using her nose to track me down. So late that she triggered the trap I had laid.

And the remote part of the forest I was working in was engulfed in a sea of fire the second se walked on my latest seal. Fortunately it activated detonations on some trees about a dozen meters away. The wind coming from the blast hurled as I crouched behind the rock that was supposed to protect me during the whole experiment. It was so strong I was pressed against the stone. My back was so hot I thought my hairpins were boiling. When it stopped, a hand gripped my shoulder and I found myself before angry eyes.

"Are you insane ? You could have killed yourself !"

"I didn't." I calmly retorted.

The logical part of my brain was thinking that the only person that could have been killed was her. It meant that my trap worked, but I still had to check for the scale of the damages. And I couldn't possibly be insane given the clarity of my thinking. I had really grasped all the data of the exploding seal. Now if I could trigger that kind of explosion without the need of drawing it beforehand and being able to get away unscathed, that would be nice.

Hana-San sighed and put me down.

"Now I get why Shisui was so worried about letting you train alone. You have no notion of danger."

"I do. I calculated the approximate blast by using different patterns on my seals. Then I tried it on a place where nobody could have been hurt."

"Anyone could have come by. I could have been hurt !"

"It's very unlikely, I chose this part of the forest well."

"You don't know what can happen !"

"True enough. But so did you. You haven't paid attention to your surroundings and walked on my tag." I remarked.

Because Hana-San was a calm person and probably thanks to my composed tone, she admitted that I was right. She didn't do it out loud, but I saw it in the way her shoulders went down. While she was thinking, I remarked that she wasn't like the other Inuzuka I had met. I knew her brother Kiba because he always was with Naruto. And I had seen their mother. Hana-San wasn't like her relatives at all. It was... curious. Not unpleasant, though.

"You're good with exploding tags. What else do you have ?" she asked.

I furrowed my brows. What could she want now ?

"Why would I show you ? I don't want you near me." I said.

"You're only saying that because seeing me reminds you of Shisui, right ? You can't forget what happened. You can't blame yourself for his death either."

"You don't know that." I countered.

"You are not responsible for his death ! What could a little girl have to do with all that ?"

'An eye for a girl' I had everything and anything to do with his death. Would she tell me the same as Uchiha-Dono ? Onii-Chan wouldn't have died anyway. But I couldn't tell her that. She wasn't my friend. She was nothing to me. Just the girl Onii-Chan almost abandoned me for.

"Listen. Shinobi die every day in our world. Like you said before, some don't pay attention enough and get killed. The unexpected can always happen, and we can't always be prepared. You can't blame yourself nor anyone else for his death."

"Believe me, I can."

"Even if you are responsible for his death, which I don't believe because I don't know what I would have done of you if it had been the case, it's no use. It will only drag you down."

My eyes widened as emotion took my composure over. I couldn't do that ! It was like denying everything that had happened.

"You want me to forget him ?" I growled.

"No, I want you to forgive yourself, whatever you think you did. And I want you to live through it. With me. We can help each other."

"I told you I don't need help !" I yelled.

If I couldn't argue with this woman, then there was no use staying here. I used the teleportation jutsu Shisui-Nii had taught me. I wouldn't get far, but it would delay her enough. I could use it a few times in a row. Maybe I could be in Konoha before her. I bet she wouldn't stay with me in public. I still was the demon child's sister. The invisible girl you can beat up without punishment. I was panting and my body ached when I hit the streets of the village.

"I didn't expect you to know how to shunshin. I'll withdraw what I said : Shisui did taught you well."

I looked at her with anger. She would not give up, would she ? But I would not accept her like that. True, I didn't mind Sasuke-San by my side : I only reproached that a friendship with him would give me lots of trouble. But the very sight of Hana-San made me sick !

"Get lost !" I snarled.

"Okay, I give up. But don't expect me to leave the clearing."

"Fine, I'll find another one. Now go to hell."

"If you need to talk, you know where to find me. See you !"

She left. I felt relieved when she was out of my sight. Relieved but somehow empty.

'An eye for a girl' Maybe he would only have lost an eye that night, because I doubt I could have done anything against the abduction. Maybe I could have escaped and left him unscathed. Maybe I should have stayed there until I was found. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

It didn't change the fact that I was weak.

I looked at the setting sun. I had to go home. I would go back to the clearing tomorrow. I could ignore her presence. I would get better soon.

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><p><em>Kagerou still hasn't shown Hana she is good with chakra detection and chakra manipulation.<br>_

_I think it's good that Kagerou isn't friendly all the time. She doesn't particularly like being alone but she's a bitch to anyone that tries to enter her cicle of comfort. Hana and her still have way to go until they understand and appreciate each other enough._


	42. The gap

_Hummm, like the chapter before I think this chapter is a little bit too cheesy. And I still can't write about painful events, I'm delaying it like Shisui's death. Not that the events here aren't important. But I thought they would be better.  
><em>

_I admit this is due to the challenge I took on : writing a chapter a day until I finish this story. So the quality isn't the best. Still it bugs me._

_Please forgive this author's sulking._

* * *

><p><strong>The gap<strong>

I knew it was there. I knew it so well. Hana-San always had seen me training the first time she had been in the clearing. I was lacking so many things to be a good kunoïchi. I was doing lots of efforts, but they were almost in vain. I didn't see any progress, even though I was exhausted each time I trained by myself. I was falling behind civilian students ! What a shame !

I had thought I still had the upper hand in ninjutsu though. I had a good chakra manipulation. Sakura-San was slightly better, but I had much larger reserves so I lasted longer. But that didn't mean I knew any jutsu. Soon, Mizuki-Sensei had taught my fellow students the hand signs I already knew. It was a matter of months before they were able to do them without thinking. And after that it was only speed. That I lacked. Soon they would learn the transformation technique, and I would just blend.

And somehow, I wanted to be above them, to have the upper hand. I still wasn't well liked, but at least people thought I was good enough to be left alone. Now that Sasuke-San was sitting next to me, my brother was always on the other side to watch over me of course, bullying had almost stopped. Almost, because whenever I found myself facing Ami or her gang in combat class, they hit harder than necessary. I knew how to hit too, I knew the better places and I had the technique. But they were faster and stronger than I was.

Then one day Sasuke-San came with large band-aids on his cheeks and slight scars on his lips. We never actually hung out after school together. I didn't want to see his brother, for I still felt guilty about Shisui-Nii. And I still didn't know what was between us. There was a bond. I felt it. I couldn't put a name on it. I suggested him to change it into friendship, basically I wanted to replace Shisui's role even if I was so young and so frail compared to him. The last time we saw each other was at the burial and we didn't talk at all. I figured he had been either too busy with ANBU, either he had never been interested in my proposal. I tried not to think about it.

So Sasuke-San came to school, injured, but with sparkles in his eyes. Immediately all his fan girls worried about him and a sea of clucking hens surrounded our table during the pause. I usually couldn't stand crowds and especially not that kind. Lunch break had been a torture. In the end Naruto took me out of the room, concerned that I might either cry or try to hit one of them, and get beaten up in the end. He had done the right thing : I was unsure how well I could stay composed in this situation.

"I have something cool to show you after class" Sasuke-San whispered in the middle of the lesson.

"Can't you be quiet ? I'm trying to follow." I growled.

"Stop kidding, you and I both know you already know all this stuff by heart."

His acknowledgement of my culture felt really good, and I couldn't help smiling.

I smiled less when I saw him blowing that giant fireball on the pontoon by the lake. I was even more crossed. He was better than I was ! That was so not fair ! And after that he showed me how well he excelled at Taijutsu by beating me. The fact that I had managed to attack him only because of surprise got on my nerves. Why was I so weak. This tendency was getting even worse. Naruto was having the upper hand in our training afterwards again.

I was so much behind everyone. I was so weak ! It was unfair. I didn't understand. Then in my anger I felt the logical part of my brain offering that I only reaped what sowed. I was only learning from books to get useful in formations to better my calculations, and get a better comprehension of the designs on the seals. I had found a book about seals in medicine, but the medical terms were so complicated it looked like gibberish to me. That part of my brain suggested that I studied the anatomy more to understand everything about my current weak state. I honestly tried that way until I found pictures of dissection. And thought of the nurse that had been impressed by some of my traits. What was I doing ?

"You're weak because you have no muscles." Hana-San said at the clearing.

I hadn't asked her for advices. Again she gave correct information when she felt like it. I knew this was a trap to attract me. She was there only to 'help' me after all. What a joke. Still I had said nothing to her. Was she reading my mind ?

"That question is written on your face girl. It always had been. You're weak because you have no muscles. You have no muscles because you don't eat enough. You don't eat enough because you want your brother to have the best life he can. And that's stupid ! Even if I like my own brother, I'm sure he would be worried about me if I started starving not to deprive him."

I trembled. She had nailed me.

"It's not that you aren't doing enough efforts. You can only do that much now because you're so thin. A good ninja needs a balanced diet."

"I'm not eating because I'm never hungry enough." I pretended.

My stomach betrayed me at that very second. Yes I was hungry, but I couldn't use the money the Uchiha clan gave me anymore. I mean, Shisui-Nii gave me money so that I wouldn't have to work to pay everything we needed. Anyway I wouldn't be able to work because I was training all the time or studying new seals. And I couldn't use the money they gave me because Onii-Chan was dead. It didn't feel correct.

I told that to Hana-San which cheeks reddened and she gave me the _look_. The same _look_ Mikoto-Sama did. Immediately the Inuzuka dragged me to the Uchiha compound where I was lectured again about the importance of a good diet. And about the fact that I actually had every right to use the money they officially gave me every month like I wanted. Their clan was indebted to me because I had saved Sasuke-kun's life.

Hana-San got me home that night after we ate at Sasuke-San's house. The atmosphere had been a bit gloomy. Especially given the fact that Uchiha-Dono ignored me. Even when he escorted us home like a gentleman. Again I felt this weird pressure of chakra. People tolerated me because I was Sasuke-San's friend, and they tolerated Hana-San because she had been Shisui-Nii's girlfriend (I was still against that fact, but I had to call a spade a spade). But they had this emotion that twisted their chakra, and I didn't recognized what it was. It was too subtle and melted with other emotions that I couldn't point it out. And people felt it when I got a grasp on their signature. They resented me for that. After all wasn't I entering their privacy ? For nothing at that !

Naruto opened the door of the apartment. He didn't like it when I didn't go home in time. I was fairly sure he would be sulking a night or two before forgiving me. But not tonight, because Hana-San gripped him by his collar.

"Let's make a deal kid. You make sure your sister stays healthy and eats enough to get stronger and I won't get angry. Okay ?" she said with a smile.

"Yes ! Yes ! Put me down !" he shrieked.

"Good boy !" she praised him before patting his head.

I looked away. This was so embarrassing. She was probably doing that with the hound she kept in her clan. I was trying not to laugh. If I did my brother would _really_ be mad at me. And I didn't want that.

"And you, little miss. You are going to eat everything you can and get a little more meat on this bones of yours. Then you can talk about effective training."

"I don't want you. You don't scare me enough, and you can't offer me anything I need."

Her eyes glinted wildly and I saw the fangs in her mouth when she told me :

"I tamed bigger bitches than you can imagine." she growled and I trembled.

I was really tempted to obey her immediately. Then I thought that with this persuasion skill of hers, Hana-San could actually help me. After all I still had an Uchiha to get answers from. I pointed a finger at him.

"I'll consider being nicer if you can make him talk about some stuff I want to know."

Immediately Hana-San stilled.

"You can't be serious ! I could never do that ! This kid is worse than a stone ! Plus he made ANBU at eleven ! I'm seventeen and became Chuunin only one year ago !" she barked.

"That's that or nothing." I said.

"Kagerou-Chan... you're talking to Kiba's sister like you talked to Aoi-Sensei back then..." Naruto remarked.

I froze. I didn't want Naruto to see that part of myself. Actually he knew about it, but I didn't like him to see it. Because I could be worse. Much, much worse. So much worse he might be disgusted by me as I was sometimes disgusted by these ideas I got sometimes.

"Grow up, kid, your sister's a tough girl. She just lacks the physical strength that goes with that sneaky tongue of hers" Hana-San said.

"Hey !" I protested.

"Still I can't go against the Uchiha genius."

"Really ? I thought you were determined to teach me a lesson !" I taunted her.

"You really think you can bargain with me ?"

"Hum... girls ?" Naruto called us.

"What ?" we exclaimed at the same time.

"Teme's brother is gone, 'tebayo."

He was actually right. There was no one. Either he was annoyed by our quarrel, or he had thought that Hana-San could go home by herself. I wondered if the _look_ could work on him. After all I had seen his mother use it on Sasuke-San, it was reasonable to assume that she used it also on her elder son when he had a bad behaviour. If... that man could behave bad. Somehow I couldn't picture it in my mind.

"Go to bed kids, it's getting late." Hana-San said.

And I don't know why I said :

"Good night Hana-San."

"Please call me Senpai from now on. I'll be supervising your training, won't I ?" she said with a smile before disappearing in the night.

It took me the time to put my pyjamas on to find out that I had never accepted to be her Kohai. I didn't asked her to train me. I didn't need her help with that ! If she wanted to me my Senpai, she'll have to win that title. Didn't she refused to use her powers on a younger boy, only because of who he was ?

"She looks nice, that Senpai of yours" Naruto said when I turned off the light.

But my brother was right. Even if she had done nothing to gain that title, she had been very nice to me. Maybe I should get nicer too... But that would have to wait tomorrow...


	43. Chakra Lights

_Hello there ? Doing good ? I'm trying to enjoy my few days of freedom ^^_

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><p><strong>Chakra lights<strong>

I can't really tell when it happens. In fact I think it has something to do with my ability to recognize chakra. I never really learnt that skill. I had to master it of course, I had to widen my range and study the differences between the signatures. I still had to learn how to scan people more discretely and probably lots of other things. But I can't date when I had been able to sense someone else's chakra. Was it when I felt that red chakra inside of my brother, or was it before.

Then there was the dream. I never really knew what it meant, and I never remembered what happened in it. But it would always leave me with that disagreeable impression that I was forgetting something important. It was like dreaming of a faceless person. I just know that in my dream I was confused and scared, and that there was this presence around me. I would always wake up in a sweat after these dreams. It wasn't a frightening nightmare like those ones I made about Onii-Chan. Though it was very disturbing.

I often compared people's chakra with lights. Its intensity and its colour gave me various information the person. I had to focus on one person to try to guess their emotional state. Onii-Chan always told me that I had to be cautious at all times : it meant I had to activate my sensors at all times. It wasn't that tiring because I had lots of chakra, but feeling people entering and leaving my range was pretty disturbing. I would often stop during class because I couldn't follow the lesson properly otherwise.

I lived in a world of chakra lights, my own little world that nobody seemed to understand. When I talked about it to my brother he never understood what I was saying properly. Sasuke-San was annoyed by it actually, even though he was trying not to show it. It was in these times that I regretted Sakura-Chan's presence : she was smart enough to follow my mind.

I never liked going near the hospital, now. Since I had enhanced my ability to sense chakra, I understood people better. Patients in the hospital were depressing. I could feel the pain and the exhaustion of the people inside. It made me feel bad for them. I knew there was other emotions around there, but the global feeling almost made me sick. And I couldn't stop my ability outside. It was too dangerous. Even if I knew I was followed, though I never caught the ANBU doing it, even after he was blatantly reading a book at the window the last times I saw him.

Given the places inside Konoha, there were places that gave me the same range of feelings. Parks were often crowded with the joy of children. The commercial parts of the city were always in a rush. The library was filled with studious intellectuals learning new things. And the Uchiha compound and the police station always gave off this weird feeling.

Then one weekend I felt there was something wrong. It started in the afternoon in the police station. The chakra lights inside started... flickering. It was the word. There were at this place, and then they were gone. They had vanished. there was another person inside, and its chakra was somehow familiar. But like lots of people I had scanned before, I couldn't put a face on this person. Then the police station emitted a feeling of wrongness. Not the one I was used to. If I had to compare it to something else, it was a cry for help. I couldn't find other words to describe this phenomenon. Chakra lights disappeared one after another, and the ones remaining turned off after releasing this particular emotion.

I had been reading an interesting book at the library when it started. Chakra lights vanished and I felt nauseous. I wanted to shut my sensors down, but I couldn't. Onii-Chan had said not to, and I knew it was to help me. After all I had been abducted once. It could happen again. So I just dug my fingers into my hair, holding my head that was about to explode. I felt my heart beating so fast as the lights shone so bright and suddenly were gone.

Something bad was happening. I left the book on the table and I rushed outside. Dusk had come, as usual I had stayed too late inside the library. I wanted to know what happened. I ran towards the police station. I knew the way. But suddenly all the people working inside the building were gone. I couldn't feel their chakra anymore. The only one left was the one I recognized a little. I tried to focus on it but it disappeared. Like the others.

I ran forward again. I knew the way to the police station even if I didn't have to follow the chakra signature of the Uchiha clansmen working there. After that intersection I was supposed to go left. Strangely I only had a wall on that side. I kept running until my lungs gave out. Still no street on my left. What was happening. Then I noticed that there was always the same fence with the same three posters on my right. Even the pavement was repeating itself.

I focused on my surroundings. I wasn't lost. I knew this neighbourhood like my own pocket. And now I was walking in the same surroundings over and over again. Weirder enough, I couldn't feel any chakra signatures around, even though I was sure I had my sensors on.

What was happening ? And how could I get out of here.

Was it an illusion ? This was problematic, we hadn't studied Genjutsu in class yet, and I never found this subject interesting enough to read much about it. But given how easily I had been trapped, I had been wrong. I would rectify this error as soon as I found out how to get out of here.

I walked and walked again. I went forward and backward. I tried to climb on the wall and the fence but I couldn't. They weren't actually slippery under my hands and feet, but it was how it felt.

"Whoever is doing this Genjutsu, he really is doing it at a bad timing !" I sulked.

Either he was preventing me to go to the police station, either someone had put my mind in that state to trap me and abduct me again. Damn it ! How could I break it ? And where was the one who wasted this jutsu on me ? I focused and focused again, drawing all the chakra I could. And the chakra that maintained me in that state suddenly appeared to me as it shattered in tiny pieces of reality.

The moon was up on the sky and the stars were shining. Someone had sat me against the fence. I got on my feet, and the world spun a little. I grit my teeth and tried to ignore this feeling. When I arrived near the police station, there was large yellow strips blocking the access and lots of people chatting worriedly behind it. A Chuunin with a megaphone asked all the civilians to leave at once, and other ninjas drew the crown away.

"Go home, kid, that's not a place for you." one of them told me.

"What happened here ?"I asked.

"Just go home."

"I'll take her." a voice said.

A grey-haired ANBU appeared behind me and lifted me in his arms.

"Thanks, ANBU-San." the officer said. "But why are you... Oh, I see, she's one of the Uzumaki orphans. I didn't recognised her with the lights out."

"What happened here ?" I asked again, but the two ninjas ignored my question before nodding at each other.

Then I was transported away. The man put me into my room.

"Why does people never give me any answer ?" I sulked again. "And where were you when I was trapped in a Genjutsu ? Aren't you supposed watch over me ?"

He simply left. Without answering.

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><p><em>Of course I wouldn't have Kagerou directly assist to the Uchiha Massacre, that would be impossible. And I won't have her meeting Itachi before a while.<br>_

_I hope you still enjoy this fanfic (I see you're not reviewing a lot, but I still get enough visitors on my page so I think I'm doing good._

_And you can always MP me, I'll answer whatever question you have._


	44. Sharing

_Because the chapters are getting longer, I have troubles updating every day (especially in these times before Christmas).  
><em>

_**DZFlash** : Sorry, no Sasuke in this chapter ^^'_

_**Guest** : I know, it's really hard to make interactions between Kagerou and his brother because she is really independant. I hope this chapter will satisfy you though._

_**Kana-Chan01** : Ben Sasuke va devenir ch****, bien sûr. Après j'avais déjà exprimé cela dans un des promiers chapitres. Il va bientôt recevoir la baffe de sa vie._

_**Ennael** : Merci de ton soutien (WOUHOUHOU ! Quelqu'un d'autre qui reviewe en Français, mais c'est la fête !)_

_**seikai no dansu** : she only felt the ones dying in the Police Department, because it's close to the library. Her sensors are unable to cover the entire village, let alone the compount that's outside Konoha. Otherwise she would hae felt Sasuke and Itachi's signature. I think I'm gonna keep the story canon until the Chuunin exam, but Kagerou will not be that close to her brother, so many things that happened to the canon Naruto will never happen to Kagerou because won't be at the same place._

* * *

><p><strong>Sharing<strong>

"Hey, Kagerou-Chan, what's wrong with you ?" my brother asked

I had just gone home out of nowhere like every time I had decided to stay in the library. Naruto was used to it, but he didn't like it. We knew how streets were dangerous at night, especially for us. Well the threat wasn't that big when it came to me, but I had my fair share of beatings. But now I could hide well enough not to be bothered with all the usual thugs.

I had discovered something important, again. And people ignored my questions as always.

"Adults are being unfair." I sulked.

"They have always been" he reminded me.

"I know, it's just that... I am too smart for my own good. I can't talk about the important stuff I find because it like some big secrets and all ! But when I think I find someone who has answers, they just ignore me or refuse to answer me."

The corners of his lips fell and he started pouting.

"You never shared this secrets with me either. You're the one unfair, Kagerou."

I looked at him and his baby blue eyes. I knew he was way more mature than other kids of our age. We had been forced to grow up too quick. But we both had different ways to cope with our social isolation. Naruto was trying his best to prove that he existed. He longed for affection so much that beatings and punishments were better than being ignored. If he had to be an pranking idiot, then he would be one. On the other hand I had closed myself from everyone else. I did try to better my relationships with a few people, but I didn't want everyone to reckon that I existed. A few people was enough, and hiding in the shadows was good enough to bear the others.

Naruto was the sunlight that provoked them. The kind that got into your eyes and forced you to adapt to it. He fought in plain sight. He wanted to deserve their attention, and to win it. Not just for him, but for both of us. I was avoiding conflicts. My brother could do all he want, I was sure his strategy was too dangerous. I was the moonlight that watched over them. I was the one who saw their sins and knew their hearts. People were not to be trust, and they could betray you with ease and leave you heartbroken. I was unable to do the leap of faith that was trust. I believed in facts, because they didn't lie. They said what was. And they held so much power.

"It's just data that I collected. I put things together, that's all." I said.

"Well you should share it. I'm your brother !"

"I'm not sure what you will do after I tell you what I discovered."

"Don't you trust me ?" he growled. "You are my sister, and I would do everything I can to help you. If only you shared what bothers you. But no, you will just close your mouth and sulk by yourself. I'll tell you one thing : I have enough of this !"

Naruto closed the bedroom door behind him. I heard the way he leaned against it to prevent me from entering. I was telling him nothing because I wanted to protect him. And because in the end I knew nothing. I was fairly sure the Uchiha clan had something against him, that there was a big secret about my brother that made the Hokage protect him and not me (until I was abducted by Danzô). I knew there was something going on with the Uchiha clan, something so big that Uchiha-Dono and Shisui-Nii wanted to act, something so big that Danzô threatened my life to stop Onii-Chan. And now there was all these flickering lights.

I went to the door. We had to talk. I wanted nothing but being strong enough to keep my brother away from danger. I wanted to be his beloved sister that shielded him in the dark.

"Naruto."

"Go away, I don't talk to people that don't trust me."

His words shook me deep. I almost fell down. It hurt so much. But would he understand if I told him anything. Trust was a leap of faith. Even though I loved my brother, did I trusted him ? Why did I trust Shisui-Nii and Uchiha-Dono when they weren't from my family ?

"Naruto, listen to me." I called again.

"I won't. You're always doing that : learning from other people and never sharing. I bet you share your secrets with your nice little friend Sasuke-Teme. Maybe you like him even more than you like me."

Did I liked Sasuke-San more than my brother ? Well I didn't live with Sasuke-San and I didn't knew him too much, so I couldn't clearly say that. Sasuke-San was better than my brother, and better than me in many subjects, and he too had wanted to help me for a long time. Did the fact that I accepted our relationship meant that I liked him more than my brother ?

Of course not. Sasuke-San was Sasuke-San and Naruto was Naruto. They had different data, yes, and Sasuke-San's were better. In a logical viewpoint, I should prefer Sasuke-San. But that wasn't the case. Because my relationship with my brother went beyond calculations and logic.

"Naruto, I love you."

Only silence answered me.

"I... hope that you're listening to me right now because I won't say it again. I'm... awkward with these emotions and all... Anyway this is not about Sasuke-San and I. It is between you and I. I love you, and you're the most important person in my life. We both have different friends, and I would never reproach you to have other people in your life. I know I'm not often with you, I know I skipped out training sessions a lot lately, but... I don't want to leave your side. Actually I... I think I'm too weak to protect you. I wish I was old enough to access all the knowledge I want to get better."

I really didn't know how to speak of everything I wanted to tell him in my mind.

"I love you, Naruto. I really do." I said.

"I love you too, sis, but I don't feel good when you're not around."

"I'm not leaving, I swear. I want to be near you and protect you."

"Yeah, me too... But in your head you've always been so far away, like beyond reach. I don't even get half the things you were trying to teach me, before. But since Shisui-Nii came, everything was about you getting better. And I wanted to be the strong one. When you were gone all these days, I was really scared. I miss you so much. You're here, and I miss you. Can't you see how illogic it is ?"

"I'm far away... in my head..." I muttered.

"Now you're having nightmares and I can do nothing about it. I don't even know what to say to calm you down when you're crying in your sleep. And when you wake up, you wouldn't tell me a thing about your dreams."

"I don't want to involve you... I don't want us to have more troubles than we already have." I said.

"I don't care about troubles. I'm the worst when it comes to get in trouble. And say what : no policeman ever caught me before."

"What if it's really too much troubles for us ?" I said. "I mean all the people I asked told me nothing. I even asked the Hokage ! They will always tell me that I'm too young, not strong enough to handle everything. But I know it's important things about us. Why would we have ANBU surveying us otherwise ?"

"Policemen, ANBU, Hokage, that doesn't matter. I'm Uzumaki Naruto and they don't frighten me at all ! I'll fight all of them for you, sis !"

I had a strangled laugh.

"And if you've discovered some super secrets, that's only because you're as cool as I am." he said.

I laughed again. But my heart was still filled with negative emotions.

"And whatever troubles you brought home, I'll always love you." he said.

"I love you too, bro."

"I love you even more you're hiding all these things from me." he added in a more serious tone.

Silence fell.

"You'll love me no matter what, right ?" I asked shyly. "Even though I'm such an unreliable sister ?"

"Of course, sis."

"You'd still love me if I was the worst human being on this planet ?" I asked.

"I'd kick your ass first for sure. But I'd still love you."

"And what if I was more like when I talked back to Aoi-Sensei, and less like the nice sister I am at home, would you still love me ?"

He opened the door so fast that I fell on the floor. I looked up at his deep blue eyes. They were like a cloudless sky where I could fly away and be free. He was pouting and his arms were folded. Naruto crouched by my side.

"I already know what kind of sister I have. She has a sharp tongue, but her heart is big like that !"

I looked at the circle his arms were drawing in the air in disbelief.

"Well big enough to have me and Sasuke-Teme inside, so that's very big."

He kissed my cheek lightly.

"I think the girl that plays the good sister is nice, but I prefer my Kagerou." he said. "Now I will chase your sadness away with my almightily ninja super technique."

I closed my arms around him and we rolled inside the room. Then he dragged me on the mattress that was really more comfortable to tickle me. I couldn't escape his hands and I was laughing so hard the neighbours knocked to silence us. After a while he decided that I had been punished enough and sat next to me. I took the time to breathe a little. He was right, I was much better now.

"Say, sis. What's with all the secrets you've got ?"

"I told you it's just data. I just think there's something wrong going on but nobody wants to tell me anything."

"You think, or you know there's something wrong ?" he asked.

I smiled.

"I think I like when you're being cunning right now. My brother isn't that much of an idiot."

"So what's troubling you."

"It's frustrating, because I don't really know."

"How so ?"

"There's something wrong with the Uchiha clan. I can't tell why, but they are not looking at you as if they hated you. It's something else, and that's not normal. And tonight the chakra of the people at the police station disappeared. So I went there, but some dude trapped me inside a Genjutsu. By the time I was free there was Chuunin blocking the place."

"You're right, that's weird ! But that's what bugs you today. What about the past few months ?"

"I tried to catch a ghost." I explained.

My brother froze. I sighed. He has always been such a pussy when it came to unnatural.

"Not a real ghost. Just a super ninja."

"Did you get him ?"

"I did. But it put me in so much trouble. I think that's why I've been captured. I tried to catch Sasuke-San's brother, and some big bad guy thought he could use me against him."

Naruto knew a bit about the abduction. I had told him about Danzô and the creepy nurse that wanted to dissect me. But I didn't told him why I was abducted in the first place. And then tears came from my eyes and I told him the rest of the story with a broken voice. '_An eye for a girl_' I told him about how guilty I felt about Shisui-Nii's death. I told him about Hana-Senpai and Sasuke-San's attempts to help me.

And he had no answers to my questions. None. But when he said that everything would be better when he will be the Hokage, I believed him. With all my heart. My own little leap of faith.

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><p><em>I'm not sure when I'll be able to update, I'll do my best. <em>


	45. Absent

_Wow wow wow... Someone else is saying my Kagerou is a Marie-Sue playing detective... And it's a review from the eight chapter. Dear **Elder Sibling**, let me tell you that first you haven't read enough of the story to say that, and second what's with these people that don't know how to argue properly. You base your affirmation on nothing !_

_Let's calm down, or I'll bother anyone with this argument._

_**Seven Deadly** : Yes, Kagerou and Sasuke looked good together. But now the massacre occured. I don't think things will work well between them after he starts thinking that he has to kill his best friend to surpass his brother._

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><p><strong>Absent<strong>

As usual I woke up way before my brother did. Sometimes it was because of the red energy going out of his body, sometimes it was because of a nightmare. I would talk about the first one to him, but we never found what it was. It was another chakra inside him, I was sure of it. But no doctor had been able to witness the phenomenon, when he agreed to see us. The Hippocratic oath didn't apply to my brother it seemed. Hopefully he was strong enough and healed almost everything after a good night's sleep. I talked less about the nightmares I had. Either I didn't remember them at all and only angst left, or I did remember them but they were often the same, mostly about Shisui-Nii.

In the end my body made an early bird out of me.

I walked out of the bed, yawning. When we were young it wasn't rare to find myself inside my brother's arms and vice versa. This bed had been made for two persons, so we had all the space we needed. I wondered how other people could sleep alone. It felt hard not to have someone warm to keep a decent heat under the sheets. Not that I wanted to sleep with someone else than my brother. Of course not.

Like every morning I prepared everything for us to leave, because my brother had that tendency not to open his eyes, whatever I did. And I tried many things. Waking him was nearly an impossible task. Well I always managed to drag him out of the house about five minutes before the class started. So I would pack our bags, prepare our bento and lay everything on the table for breakfast. Today I decided to prepare an extra thing for Sasuke-San. I was sure something had happened at the Police station yesterday, and he could have overheard something. I knew he had this habit of eavesdropping his dad.

I checked the clock and sighed. Of course.

"Naruto ! Wake up you idiotic brother !" I yelled before walking to the room.

He was still snoring hard. I called him again, louder, I took away the sheets, I shook him hard. And it didn't work at all. What could I do this time ?

"Naruto, I heard that Sakura-Chan was about to confess to a boy." I whispered.

He sat up straight on the mattress.

"Whaaaaat ? My Sakura-Chan ? Where ?"

"Nowhere, baka ! Now hurry up and put your clothes on. We're about to go to school."

"Sis, you're cruel." he whined.

"Nope, I'm just taking care of you. And that's an awful lot of work." I said. "Why am I still bothering anyway."

"Hum... Because you love me ?"

I smiled before leaving him to his clothes. Hopefully I had already eaten before him. His ability to gulp that much of food in a few seconds was fascinating, as well as sickening. Was he even breathing during the act ?

Then we ran to the school. The bell rang immediately after we went inside the classroom. I looked at all the seats. Where was Sasuke-San ? Did he decide to seat elsewhere ? I couldn't see him. Maybe he was uncharacteristically late. That... bothered me with what happened last night.

"Naruto-Kun, Kagerou-Chan, please sit down." said Mizuki-Sensei.

"Yes sir." we answered.

Sasuke-San didn't show up all day. I looked at the tomato flavoured onigiri inside my lunch box. I had wanted to bribe him with it. I didn't know what to do with it. I hated tomatoes as much as he loved them. I tied the handkerchief around the container again and put it back in my bag. Maybe he was just sick today. And so were his clansmen. That was unlikely. People didn't disappear like that when sick. So what happened.

Sasuke-San's absence was bothering me. It also alerted his fangirls that went to me with tons of questions. I had no answers for them. First I knew nothing more than they did. Second they weren't my friends, so I wanted to do nothing with them. In the end they started to accuse me of making my friend disappear. And I was forced to run and hide. Fortunately when you have a brother who escapes policemen regularly, you pick up some neat tricks. I spend the pauses hidden on the top of a tree, watching a mysterious boy studying ants and other bugs in the garden. I think his name was Shino or something.

When I went to the Uchiha compound, the entry was blocked with the same yellow strips that had prevented me from entering the Police station. How strange. And the Chuunin guarding the entrance weren't even from this clan. What was going on ? I frowned. Even more strange : the place was empty. There was no one inside except the ninjas outside.

Where was Sasuke-San then ? And what happened to the Uchiha-Clan ? No one can vanish into thin air ? I looked everywhere. I knew Uchiha-Dono could easily hide from me, well except when this other chakra inside him decided to go crazy, but the other people there hadn't that ability. And I refused the answer that gave my logical part of my brain. They hadn't disappeared the same way Shisui-Nii, did. I refused to believe that.

I looked for the Uchiha for days. Sasuke-San was still absent and his fangirls were getting frantic. And rumour had it a rogue ninja had killed all of them. I thought of the chakra signature that had stayed the longest inside the Police Station. It had never been panicked like the others. And it didn't flicker when it disappeared. No, that was probably not that. There was probably another explanation.

But I got my final answer when Sasuke-San came back to class. His eyes were empty. He didn't see me when I waved at him. I knew I had been right : they disappeared because they were dead. And so was the boy who had wanted to help me, replaced by a stranger.

A stranger who didn't want of me anymore.

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><p><em>People, there's a slap incoming !<br>_


	46. Slap

_ : I had written something about this famous slap in the end of the third chapter  
><em>

_**Littlevbigdreams** : You won't have to cry, I will talk about the slap in this chapter._

* * *

><p><strong>Slap<strong>

Sasuke-San's eyes looked through me. It was as if I was transparent. I shuddered. I had never seen such eyes on a human being. It was as if he wasn't alive inside. It was as if I didn't exist. And it hurt, because he had been one of the rare person who has tried to help me. I had been alive. And now I had disappeared.

"Sasuke-San ?" I called him with a voice so full of worry that I didn't recognized it.

Then all his fangirls went around him, trying to get his attention, trying to know if he was alright. He ignored them the same way he had ignored me. He said nothing and sat on his usual chair. I didn't get to approach him before the bell rang. I was alone on my bench. Naruto was skipping class, again. Why did I took the time to wake him up anyway ?

The class went on and I heard the other students muttering about him. They said someone had massacred the whole Uchiha clan, and that Sasuke-San was the sole survivor. I knew that most of people of our age didn't want to approach him for he was elite, they considered he was too good for them. Now he was even more untouchable. He was the last Uchiha alive. I didn't know what to say to him, let alone what to feel. Apart from Shisui-Nii, I hadn't been that close to the Uchiha clan. I appreciated Mikoto-Sama, and I had that strange bond with Uchiha-Dono, but that was all. And there was Sasuke-San that had wanted to help me all along.

Maybe it was the best time to repay him ? How do people offer support to each other ?

I was still wondering about it when Mizuki-Sensei gave us a little pause. To my surprise, Sasuke-San stood up and walked to me. His eyes were dark, filled with an emotion I didn't recognised.

"Uzumaki Kagerou." he said when facing me.

"What is it, Sasuke-San ? Do you need any help ?" I asked.

He abruptly put a heavy bag on my notebook. He brought out a white and red scrolled, sealed with the Uchiha crest. His lips were white.

"This is Shisui-Nii-San's testimony." he said.

"Oh."

"'Oh' ? Just 'Oh' ? Don't you know what's inside ?" he growled.

I was startled. He was apathetic about two hours before and now he was crossed with me ? It didn't make sense. But I would keep my calm. He had the right not to feel that good after what happened to him.

"No, I don't." I answered with a steady tone.

An emotion flickered through his eyes before he curled his hands into fists.

"My cousin bequeathed his sword to you. And I discovered that my clan is giving money to you and your brother for no reason. Why is that ?"

"The sword I don't know, but I'm honoured that Shisui-Nii trusted me so much. As for the money, It had been decided that we needed help and that I was to be rewarded for saving your life." I explained.

"You're not worthy of that money !" he snarled. "You're not worthy of anything. " he snarled.

"I beg your pardon ? These decisions are not for you to make. And calm down, will you, everyone is watching us." I sad in the same equal tone.

"Of course they are watching ! They are watching me ! I am the last Uchiha alive and the top of this pitiful class full of misfits and idiots such as yourself !"

I heard the other students cursing Sasuke-San. And I was about to do the same myself. I had to keep cool. He was saying all these horrid things because of pain, right ? I wouldn't forget his words, but I could forgive them. He was alone and scared, and I knew what it felt. About the rest, he had been protected by his clan because he was their little prince, the second son of their leader. I was used to cope with his arrogance on a daily basis, wasn't I ? But he had been good to me and an acceptable playmate. He wasn't so bad.

"I understand you're in pain, and I'm extremely sorry for your loss, Sasuke-San. Please calm down. The decisions that had been made by your clan cannot be broken. I'll take great care of Shisui-Nii's legacy and I promise I'll give all the money I owe you."

"You understand shit !" he yelled.

Lots of people gasped, hearing him speaking in such a crude manner. I lifted my hands in a gesture of appeasement. He pushed them away from him.

"How could a girl who never had any parents can understand my feelings ? Huh ?" he screamed.

"Sasuke-San..." I called him.

"You've never had any parents, nor friends you stupid. Just your asshole of a brother. And you know what ? I couldn't care less about you !"

I had accepted his friendship. I had let him come close to me, and tried to open up. For him. And no he was destroying everything. Is that what happens when people get close to you ? He was betraying me, and I was giving him excuses. I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind when he would get back to normal. I was so close to snap. How could he insult me and my brother in such a manner ? How could he break everything that we had so patiently built ?

"Will you calm down now ?" I yelled too. "I might be an orphan, I know what a family is. I have my brother, and I had Shisui-Nii. He was my Onii-Chan and I loved him very much."

"You have no right to call him in such an indecent manner. You're nothing to my cousin. You're worth nothing, and I'll never give you his sword. You're just the worthless sister of the demon child." he yelled.

I looked at him. He was still insulting me and my brother. That was enough. I wouldn't be able to bear any more of his words. I'd show him what a worthless sister could do. My left hand moved so fast he didn't see it. Heh ! That was what an elite was worth. His tirade was cut right in the middle of a word. His head flew and his neck creaked because of the violence of the shock. He fell on the stairs, too surprised by my outburst. A red mark marred his cheek.

And so were the other people in the room. Even Mizuki-Sensei was dumbstruck.

But I wasn't finished. I gripped his collar and put him back on his feet. I may be under average when it came to Taijutsu, but I knew where to hit. Precisely. I dug my fingers in a pressure point near his neck. I had never had the occasion to test it. It really was efficient.

"So, you've succeeded in breaking my mask. Congratulations, Sasuke-San, I hope you're happy you could have helped me." I whispered to him.

I pushed him against a table and lessened my grip.

"And that is how you can handle the top of the class." I teased. "Don't think you're worth more than any of these students. You're not the centre of the world, Sasuke-San. You're not the cream of the crop. One day you're gonna fall really hard, and I hope you'll understand how much of an arrogant douchebag you are."

I let him go and sat back to my place. That day I was punished for attacking a classmate, and Sasuke-San was too for using verbal violence towards me. I also received a much more valuable present : the esteem my fellow ninja in training.

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><p><em>Before anyone starts to comment about it :<br>_

_- Sasuke is stronger than Kagerou, and she only could hit him beause he was too surprise to react (much like the first time). If they fought against eachother in a hand hand combat, he would beat her ass_

_- This fiction will not bash Sasuke. It's not because Kagerou and him will have lots of disagreements and that Kagerou will resent him a lot that it means that I'm insulting the Uchiha by pleasure._

_Your reviews are welcome anyway. I just hope they'll make enough sense._


	47. Classmates

_Hello everyone ! I don't think I'll be able to publish anything before Friday or Saturday because of the lack of wifi inside my grandmother's house.  
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_ **MrWigZ **: No, she didn't get the sword. Yet.  
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><p><strong>Classmates<strong>

I would have never guessed the consequences of my little outburst in front of Sasuke-San. I saw the differences even the day after I slapped him. People were looking at me, greeting me, nodding at me, smiling at me. I existed. By myself. I had been a hero the day I saved Sasuke-San, but that was only a rumour. I had been the girl anyone wanted to find when the Uchiha said he liked me because of my long hair, but I had found the way to hide myself. But not anymore, I was in plain sight.

It felt weird, sickening, wrong. I was scared of all these strangers. But I existed to them. Sasuke-San was still brooding, but I hadn't decided to talk to him yet. Actually I wouldn't have been able to do so, because people approached me.

It all started with Sakura -Chan who sat next to me.

"Hello, Kagerou-Chan !" she simply said as if the year when she had been ignoring me never happened.

"H... hello Sakura-Chan." I answered, a little taken aback.

"Did you do the homework already ?"

And we started chatting. I discovered that I really liked her, I realised it now that she was by my side. She had gone away because of Sasuke-San. And I really wanted her to stay. Maybe even becoming my friend. Hana-Senpai was nice, and I was still warming up at her contact, but she wasn't a girl of my age. The only friend of my age I had was Sasuke-San, and I didn't know what to do about him.

"Say, Sakura-Chan, were you angry at me because of Sasuke-San ?" I asked and she froze.

"Can you keep a secret ?" she asked.

"If that's the fact that you love him, you're not the only one." I said sarcastically, pointing at the fangirls cooing at the brunette. "You can love who you want, that's not my business."

She was all read, and her hands were frantic as she tried to shut me up.

"And... do you like him ?" she asked.

"I... don't really know. I don't really have feelings for him, but it's been a while since we've helped one another. He said he wanted to be my friend." I told her. "I don't want to be anything more, if that's what you ask."

"So we're not rivals ?"

"Well we're not competing about him for sure, but I saw you've been graded higher recently. Maybe you want to rival my superior intellect." I teased her grinning.

She smiled at me and laughed.

"You were ever so serious before, Kagerou-Chan. But you've changed the past year. And I kinda missed you."

I don't know why I was smiling so much when she said that.

"You really have a nice smile." she said. "You better not steal Sasuke-Kun from me !"

Days went on and my life became a bit brighter. I talked to other people, mostly civilian girls that hanged out with Sakura-Chan. I also learned to know my brother's friends better. Because of Hana-Senpai, I regularly met her brother. Kiba-San was a lot like my own brother, so I appreciated him. The only bad point was that he really was an idiot, and that wasn't an act. Shikamaru-San was really interesting, in fact he was dead last only because he was too lazy to take the tests. I still didn't know how to take Choji-San. Apart from food, I had yet to find other talking subjects. But he was rather nice. Whenever I had to work in group with one of these people t went well and my grades in that area went higher.

On the other hand Sakura-Chan and I were still being targeted by Ami and her gang. Most of the time we would hide in a deserted place or I would drag Sakura-Chan near Shino-San. I had never talked to the boy but he didn't rejected us. And his studies about bugs inside the schoolyard was repulsive enough to make all the girls go away. Dealing with my friend's own disgust was another story. But these girls still wiped the floor with me and Sakura-Chan. I mean : both of us were no good at Taijutsu. She still beat me in Chakra manipulation : hers was naturally good and I really struggled to be at the same level. Fortunately I could overcome this gap with my chakra reserves which were better than hers. I had already passed the final exams for the theoretical exams last year, so I attended various boring options when she was staying in class. Seriously, did I really have to know how to fold origami, how people danced in various countries and all the mannerisms to adopt in front of noble people ? I would have loved to go to the library or to try a new pattern for my exploding tags, I was able to draw lots of variations with my eyes closed.

There was also this other boy I saw when I went out from my extra hours. He was always training in the side of the playground intensively. He was throwing so many fists and kicks I had been impressed. I hadn't the stamina to do what he did. Even though I noticed that his chakra signature was light, and I felt no use of it during his training. Was he really working his body the way a civilian did ? That was impressive.

Sometimes I went down the stars to look closer. His braid batted against his back as he was almost dancing wildly against the poles. Given the bandages and the bruises on his body, I could tell how much he was training. I couldn't do half of what he was doing. He was incredible. I looked at all his moves with great interest, trying to figure how he was doing them. They weren't actually academy style. They were better. It was even more interesting than seeing the poses in a book. It was like a living lesson. Something much more impressive than what our teachers did. My mind was assimilating it, and I was eager to try what I was seeing every day.

And he saw me. I was being too curious, and forgetting all prudence, I approached closer.

"Hey !" he called me.

I was so mesmerised by my calculus about how to strike and the amount of speed and strength required that he startled me. I was leaning against the school wall when he raised his voice. Immediately I jumped back into the shadows. Maybe I should just by a pair of binoculars or a spyglass to observe him. Or maybe I should look into that Genjutsu book, I had read about this technique that helped you focusing on details...

"Where did she go ?" he wondered out loud.

I had been able to hide from some higher ranked ninjas. Well I had been discovered, and that may be why I had been abducted, but no one had raised the alarm when I went inside the Root headquarters the first time. Hiding from a mere Genin was a piece of cake.

I had not expected him to wait for me the time after. And the one after. And the one after. He was being persistent. And I was being careless. In the end I gave up and sat on the bench near his training area and watched him do what he was doing. I would try later on my own. Maybe I could teach my brother ! He had been sulking about me making new friends and them not being nice to him. I really had tried to make him a place, but Sakura-Chan didn't accept his affectionate manners around her, and apart from his pranking buddies, the other children were taught not to stay with him.

"My name is Lee, Rock Lee." the Taijutsu boy told me. "And what is your name, graceful flower ?"

"Uzumaki Kagerou." I answered reluctantly.

"Kagerou-San, would you like to train with me ?" he asked. "You seem pretty excited about my exercises."

"I'm... not really good at that, Lee-San. I wouldn't want to bother you."

"You're not troubling me the least. Your body is frail, you need physical training."

I didn't really liked being criticized by a stranger. Right. Not totally a stranger since I had been stalking him, but still ! I wasn't one to bow down at such a disagreeable sentence.

"Your chakra is weak, you should focus in that area." I snapped.

"Then... If you want to, I can teach you Taijutsu, and you would teach me chakra manipulation. Does that fulfil your youthness ?"

I cringed at the neologism, but I was okay with it. I wouldn't imagine it was an impossible mission. In both ways. My form was still horrible, even though I ended up with so many hits. And I was only hitting an immobile poll ! Lee-San's chakra problems gave me headaches. He was such an incapable in that area ! But it helped me optimise my own thoughts about chakra. And my brother had taught me not to give up, so I'll continue helping him.

In the end, this new school year was going on well. I was still bullied, and I had no Sasuke-San to help me, but I could deal with that. I had known worse in my early years. They would never seriously injure me. And now I had a mind that could understand my theories and debate about it with me. Wasn't that tremendous ?

I was just sad about Sasuke-San. All my attempts to regain his attentions had failed. It was like he was really trying to get rid of me. I never received Shisui-Nii's sword either. Maybe it was his way to punish me, or something like that. I didn't understand what I did wrong. I only wanted to support him in his pain. All I received were insults. He was violent, brash, aggressive. He was ignoring the others, that's right, but he was really bad with me. His fangirls were happy about that, by the way. Something had changed in him. He wanted to have nothing to do with me. And I felt our places were reversed. Now he was the one wearing the mask of emotions. And I was the one who tried to get rid of it.

"That guy is a real mystery." I said to my brother."One day he said he likes me and the other he wants to get rid of me. I don't understand."

"Let him be, he's an idiot." he grumbled.

"I know. But I felt like I owe him somehow."

"No you don't. He was the one who owed you since you saved his ass."

"Maybe you're right..."

But I felt there was something else that explained Sasuke-San's behaviour. He had told me how alone he felt, how grateful he was that I was his friend. But now he had thrown everything away, including me for solitude. It felt so wrong. And I couldn't reach him.

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><p><em>I feel like doing an ellipsis in her childhood because she is now 8 and there is no marking fact until I'll make her graduate at 10. I think I'll make her a replacement in other teams or train her in some areas before including her as fourth member in a rookie 9 team. After that she will make a two man team with another character (I can't tell who because it's a spoiler), and I'm still looking for another partner. <em>

_Because it's Christmas I'll give you the right to request for some filler chapters. I you have a situation you want to see Kagerou I'll make it happen._

_Merry Christmas to you all !_


	48. Assembling a team

_Sorry everyone, I couldn't update until today, because I had no idea how to make an ellipsis without clearing some points first.  
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_Nobody requested anything from me during these holidays... Too bad for you, I won't do it again (at least not too soon).  
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_**Ennal** : J'avais pensé faire une équipe avec Kagerou et Sai, mais je ne suis pas certaine qu'elle soit fonctionnelle_

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><p><strong>Assembling a team<strong>

I had turned everything inside my head for months since the horrible thing happened inside the Uchiha compound. We had all heard the rumours about what happened. But was it really the truth ? When Shisui died, I would have known nothing about the whole affair if I hadn't looked for the answers I needed. The official version was that he died during a mission. What a blatant lie ! It was true that I could give up, they were gone and so was the threat against my brother. But there was something else : Sasuke-San had been left alive.

And I wouldn't forgive his actions until I understood everything. I was about sure he wouldn't have me approaching him, so the only place left with answers was the compound. But that meant I had to look for clues. And I had no idea what nor where to look for. The Uchiha compound was like a small town neighbouring our village. A ghost town now...

These ideas were troubling my mind, and I suddenly stopped following the class one day to think more cleverly about this.

"What's up with you ?" Sakura-Chan whispered. "You're not the kind to daydream. Do you have some troubles with your seal patterns again ?"

"Not at all, I am thinking about Sasuke-San."

"Again ? I thought you said he was too much of an idiot to think about him."

"Something's not right. Nobody stops liking someone like that. For instance you left me because you were jealous of my relationship with him and made false assumptions. I just can't get his reasons to suddenly reject me." I explained my reasoning to her.

"He rejects everyone else. I heard he had had bad grades at the last teamwork project because of it."

"Anyway I think that if he tells me nothing, I will have my answers by myself."

"How so ?"

"Kagerou-Chan, Sakura-Chan, if you could stop talking right now and answer the question that is on the board." Mizuki-Sensei called us.

Sakura-Chan went suddenly straight and her face reddened while she grabbed a pen and started making the calculus for the trajectory our teacher had made the schema of. I looked at the chalk drawings unimpressed. This was so easy I could answer right away.

"Given the wind and the strength of the throw, the ninja will never attain the target." I said.

"Why so ?"

"The angle would have been perfect if the wind hadn't been blowing. Again he could have succeeded if he had thrown his weapon harder, but I doubt his kunai will hit the centre. I'd say shuriken might be better in this situation."

A gleam appeared in the adult's eyes and he started changing the coordinates. Unbothered, I calmly answered all his questions without falling for any of his traps. The bell rang and saved me for more questions. The other students were eying me in funny ways. Even Sasuke-San did, but he turned his head away when I looked at him.

"That was impressive, Kagerou-Chan." Sakura-Chan praised me.

"It's because I'm the best at calculus." I slightly smiled.

"My sister rocks, believe it !" my brother shouted from the other side of the room.

"Yo." a voice said above me and I heard a light bark.

I looked up to meet with two feral grins. Kiba-San slanted eyes fell on me and I heavily blushed. Being eyed by someone I didn't know well was very embarrassing. I had never trained with Hana-Sempai, despite she had decided to come at some of my trainings to watch over me. She thought I might hurt myself because I handled explosives with carelessness, or something. I don't know what she said to her brother, but now and then he would give me a snack. Apparently I was still too thin for her taste. So I was to eat everything he gave me to reassure her. She was being very persistent with that.

Kiba-San handed me an apple.

"My sister is away for a mission, so she asked me to feed you correctly." he mocked me and Akamaru barked.

"She... She's crazy ! And you didn't have to..." I mumbled, still embarrassed.

"Hurry and take it ! I don't want your brother to ask if I'm trying to do things to you again."

The thought of my brother protecting me made me very happy, and I smiled more than usual, with the shining eyes and all. Kiba-San blushed before dropping the fruit on my knees. Then he was gone chatting with his friends. I thought I caught Sasuke-San moving, but it might have been my imagination. I took a bite before asking Sakura-Chan :

"You want some ?"

"I didn't know you were acquainted with that boy. He might be the only person I saw you talking to except for your bother, and Sasuke-Kun."

"Talking to people is difficult. You never know when they can betray you." I admitted calmly.

"I told you I was sorry about leaving you before !" she whined

"Oh, I'm just stating things. I wasn't complaining at all." I said before taking another bite.

"So, how do you think you will solve the Uchiha mystery ? Will you find the culprit and saved the day ?" she teased me.

"I don't think I can do that, but I hope I find enough clues in their compound to understand why Sasuke-San is being so mean."

"You want to explore the compound where everyone died ?" she whispered with a scarred voice. "All alone ? Are you insane ?"

"Not insane, just logical. The answers have to be where everything happened. I just need to find a suitable team to explore the place, and find clues. I just don't know who. You volunteer ?"

"No way ! That's too dangerous ! What if you encounter a ghost ?"

"Easy one : I'll just ask him everything. Maybe he will be willing to tell me so that he can be free. That's a great idea. Now I know what to do !"

How do I find a ghost though ? Do they have a particular smell ? Do they only appear in the dark ? Tough question.

"That's madness ! You can't do that, Kagerou-Chan !"

"Of course I can. And meeting a ghost would be a scientific event. If you came we could be famous !"

"There's no way we can do that ! And ghost do not appear magically ?"

"You mean there's a jutsu to summon ghosts ?" I asked. "Cool."

Class started once again and I tried who I could ask to come with me. my brother would come of course, and I hope Sakura-Chan did too. Now I needed people that I could trust enough and that actually had good skills. Well given the first condition, the only person who was fit was Sasuke-San, but that wasn't possible. What could I do...

Lunch pause came and I told Sakura-Chan we had to find people that could track a ghost. Because she was still unconvinced we could meet the ghost of an Uchiha, and was still frightened by it, I told her we would visit Sasuke-San's house so that she could have the blessing of his deceased parents. She told me I was creepy and shouted that she would never go there with me. What was wrong with that ? I had been logical. She had been eager to meet her crush's relatives. Was it really important that they were dead ? I would be very happy if I could meet them again.

In the end I had to eat my lunch alone, feeling that it would make things worse if I stayed with her. Taking my bento, I tried to find a nice place to eat, maybe under the sun. And not too far from my brother so that I wouldn't be bothered by Sasuke-San's jealous fangirls. Doing so, I found out that the nearest bench near the tree under which Naruto and his friends usually stayed, was already occupied. There was a black haired girl eating alone on the bench. And she was looking at them with a slight blush on her cheeks.

She didn't look threatening, and she still hadn't noticed I was there. I thought about it. I was about sure I had seen her in my classes. She looked like a classy person, there was something from the way she seated that gave me that feeling. I could sit beside her. Did that mean we were close ? I hoped not. But I didn't want to eat my bento standing. I fixed her for a while, still unable to decide. Then she opened the lid of her lunch box and was startled by my presence.

"I... I..." she squeaked.

I looked at her, rather surprised and still wary. It looked like I was the one frightening her.

"Can I sit ?" I asked.

"Y... yes, Kagerou-San. D... do you w... want me t... to leave ?" she stuttered with a small voice.

"No need... um... Hinata-San, was it ?"

She nodded. I sat and started to eat. I was under the impression we should have been talking to each other, or at least introducing ourselves. But I was too wary of her to make any bonds with a total stranger, and she seemed too shy to start talking. Somehow the situation annoyed me, as well as her way to twitch her fingers together. At least she didn't seem to bother me unlike most of the girls. I didn't know what to think of it.

The bell rang and I had achieved nothing. I was getting more and more frustrated. What would I need to find a ghost ? What was a tracking team usually composed of ? Hinata-San and I both stood at the same time. My brother and their friends started running towards the entrance when we slowly walked.

"Hey, Kagerou ! Is that a new friend ? That's great !" he exclaimed.

" Wait ! She's not..." I started before I saw Hinata-San about to faint. Her face was entirely red. Did she had a fever ?

I put my arm under hers and proceeded to walked to the gates. Maybe I should lead her to the infirmary before I got into class. It seemed she was recovering though, and I gritted my teeth. I didn't like to touch strangers, but there was an emergency right now. I managed to carry her a few meters until she assured me she was fine enough to walk by herself.

"Y... you're stronger than you look." she told me shyly.

"You didn't stutter. And thanks." I remarked as we were walking to the ranks before the teachers.

"You are different than the other p-people I know. You... you don't pressure me."

"Is it because you feel at ease that you don't stutter much ?" I asked with a scientific curiosity.

"I... I guess." she said by looking away.

I can't really state how it happened, but she decided to sit next to me. Sakura-San sat on the other side like always. She was used to my weirdness, as she called it, so she forgave my behaviour with ease. She looked at Hinata-San with curiosity, but she said nothing. Soon, they were both following the lesson with much fervour than most of our classmates. And I was still thinking about this team thing.

"Are you still considering your stupid mission ?" Sakura-Chan angrily hissed.

"Of course I am ! It's not because you're afraid of ghosts that I will give up on this way of getting my answers. Besides I bet you don't want to come because you're a chicken." I taunted her.

"I so am not !"

"Then prove it ! Chicken, Chicken, Chiken !" I teased her.

"P... Please stop. Sen... Sensei is l... looking at us." Hinata-San muttered.

"I'm not a chicken ! I just think this is stupid."

"It's not stupid, it's a great idea I came up with." I said.

"Liar, I'm the one who said we should ask a ghost for answers !"

"Well, you don't assume what you say, so this idea's mine now." I decided.

"You can't do that !"

"G... girls, please stop !"

We looked at the board with an innocent face, faking that we were actually following the lesson. I was about sure Mizuki-Sensei wasn't fooled by our act. Because I sucked at acting, I had been told by Hana-Sempai that a tree log was more expressive than I. And because he was a Chuunin and we were mere kunoïchi in training. He finally look away with a knowing smile and we decided to resume our quarrel at the next pause.

And we did.

"Kagerou-Chan thinks she can have answers about Sasuke-Kun's recent behaviour by investigating the Uchiha compound." Sakura-Chan explained Hinata-San.

"S...so you think if y... you ask a g... ghost you can have your answers ?" Hinata-San deduced.

"Pretty much." I grumbled. I didn't like the idea of involving a girl I had just met inside this.

"That's crazy, isn't it ?" Sakura-Chan laughed. "Don't you think so too, Hinata-Chan ?"

She thought for a while before explaining her that old clans like hers or the Uchiha clan believed that the spirits of their ancestors still remained in their shrine. Even if they didn't find a ghost that had been trapped on their compound because it couldn't find peace, maybe they could pray at the temple.

"Even if you still convince me, somehow, to accompany you, this site is still forbidden." Sakura-Chan said.

"I know, but I'm willing to take that risk." I said.

"What risk ?" Naruto asked and we jumped all together When had he popped up right behind us ? I then realised that all his gang had been seated right behind us the whole time.

"N... Naruto-kun." Hinata squeaked and she was all red again. What kind of fever did she had that came and went that way ?

"Your crazy sister wants to meet with a ghost." Sakura-Chan cringed.

"A ghost ?" my brother blanched, and I remember how frightened he was by these beings.

"It's to ask him questions about the Uchiha clan" I reassured him.

"That's crazy !" he said.

"See ! Even your idiot of a brother agrees with me !" Sakura gloated.

"He would agree to everything you say, since he worships the air your breathe." Shikamaru-San remarked.

"Shikamaru, what does a ghost eat ?" Choji asked and I growled. There was no chance his friends would jeopardize my mission.

"Fine, I'll find that ghost all by myself, since you're a bunch of useless chickens ! " I huffed.

"Great, now she's pouting." my brother complained.

"Don't worry, Kagerou-Chan. I have the best nose out there. I'll find that ghost for you !" Kiba-San said. "Right Akamaru ?" And the puppy barked.

"Of course ! Why didn't I thought of it sooner ? If it's a ghost, it would logically smell like old things and stuff !" I said clapping my hands.

Then I looked at Kiba-San. We weren't friends. So what did that made us ? We weren't friends, we were mere acquaintances. He gave me food because his sister asked him to take care of me. But seeing how nice he was to me, I could reconsider. I could ask him to lend me Akamaru, but I wouldn't be able to understand him.

"We could go together, if that's okay with you." I muttered while looking away.

"Great !" he exclaimed before showing me his hands. I tapped them lightly when I understood what he wanted of me.

"I'm not okay with anything ! You will not go with my sister !" Naruto shouted.

"Hey ! I'm just offering help ! I don't want to do anything else !" the boy exclaimed.

"It would be so great if you came, bro ! You could protect me from the ghost you're not afraid of." I slyly said.

"Of... of course !" he said.

"C... Can I come t... too ? I can use my Byakugan to l... look through the walls." Hinata said.

"That's really great, Hinata-Chan." I mused. "Still being a chicken ?"

"I'm not going into this madness. But be sure to tell me if you meet any ghost." Sakura-Chan said.

"This is too troublesome, I won't go." Shikamaru-San sighed.

"I have a barbecue at my house, it's far more important." Choji assured me.

In the end I had formed an awesome team. My brother, Kiba-San and his dog, Hinata-San and myself would meet that ghost the next weekend !

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><p><em>Gosh, did I just changed my Kagerou into the ghostbuster's leader ?<em>

_Well I had been wanting chapters where we can see her as a child. Sure Kagerou is more mature than the kids of her age, but she is still a brat, and I hope I succeded with this ghost story ^^_


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